Visiting a flood affected neighbourhood in Leeds today, Hilary Benn saw first hand how the impacts of flooding on homes and businesses can be reduced by using a range of methods that help to keep flood water out of your home , and also reduce damage if water enters a property.
Under new plans the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will commit £125,000 to the development of an interactive website and phone line service in conjunction with the Environment Agency. This will provide individuals and businesses with the advice and information they need to protect their homes and premises from flooding. Proposals to provide a Government grant to help people bear some of the costs involved with implementing such measures, for example through a free home flood survey, will also form the basis of a public consultation in a few weeks time.
Last year six areas in England were selected to take part in Defra's flood resilience pilot funding scheme, which provided practical measures for a range of different properties and flooding issues. The Department committed a total of £500,000 to these schemes, which are now complete. Today Mr Benn is visiting the site of one of these pilots at the Dunhill Estate in Halton, Leeds.
New research that accompanies the pilot schemes (carried out for Defra by Entec and Greenstreet Berman) is published. The report can be accessed at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/policy/strategy/rf1rf2.htm 
