In the aftermath of the floods that hit the North West just over a week ago, in-Cumbria has compiled the essential information for businesses in need of help. 

Grants

SMEs are eligible to apply to Cumbria Growth Hub for grants to help with flood recovery.

The support can be for a variety of different activities such as marketing, interest payments on new and existing loans, specialist advice, training, equipment and other activities supporting implementation of a recovery action plan.

Growth Hub advisers are available free of charge to assist with development of action plans and help put together the application and all applications must be reviewed and signed off by a Growth Hub adviser.

For more information contact Suzanne Caldwell at Cumbria Business Growth Hub on 0844 257 8450 or 07825 050 298 or email on suzanne@cumbriachamber.co.uk 

Rate relief

Businesses and communities across flood affected areas will not have to face council tax and business rate bills following government relief.

All premises are exempt from council tax and business rate charges for 3 months if they are empty, while industrial premises will receive up to 6 months if they become empty and if flooding has affected the whole premises and preventing any trade from the site.

Consideration will be given if appropriate to extend these periods via means of a local scheme which will need to be approved.

Councils are collecting details from businesses to gather the appropriate information and have advised anyone to get in touch with the council if they have been affected. 

Community spirit  

Over 150 posts have been made to the Spirit of Cumbria forum since the website launched last week, with the majority of posts offering free help, goods and services to flood victims.

Some of the offers include free photography restoration, free transport, and free data recovery to businesses whose IT equipment was damaged.

Local businesses which have not been directly impacted by the flooding are using the site to let people know they’re still open, while extending help to those who need it

You can find the site here to find offers of help, to offer assistance or to thank people who may have helped. 

Support fundraising

The Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund 2015 will provide financial assistance to help individuals and families who have been affected.

Voluntary and community organisations also play a vital role in supporting communities during times of need and grants will be made available to them also.

Application forms can be found on the Cumbria Community Fund website .

Bank help - Natwest 

Natwest has a Adverse Weather and Incidents Support Package designed to help people in difficulty, because of flooding, to recover from the costs incurred.

The package involves waived arrangement fees on new and increases to existing overdrafts in addition to capital repayment holidays and reduced loan repayments on existing variable rate loans. The bank will also help with loan funding to replace or provide new assets and assistance with excess management.

Bank help - Barclays  

Barclays bank will help Business customers to deal with the effects of flooding with overdraft increases or if required, capital repayment holidays of up to six months on customers' existing loans.

This will allow businesses time to recover from the immediate impact of the damage caused by flooding or adverse weather, or to bridge the gap until insurance claims are settled.

Affected Barclays customers should call their business manager directly on 0345 605 2345 to discuss their individual circumstances.

Barclays business managers will be contacting customers in at risk areas to assess any damage or disruption caused to their businesses and offer solutions that may ease the burden on cash flow.