The Essex Property Flood Resilience (PFR) grant aims to help Essex residents (excluding the unitary authorities of Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock) whose properties are at risk of flooding by equipping their homes against flooding and flood damage.
Eligible residents can receive up to £8,000 to fund PFR measures for their properties. Essex County Council has been running a county-wide Property Flood Resilience scheme since 2013. In 2022 our latest supplier contract was procured and awarded to Lakeside Flood Solutions. Lakeside Flood Solutions project manage and deliver this scheme on our behalf. They will conduct the initial survey, provide a quotation based on the survey and, if you choose to proceed, install the recommended PFR measures at your property. You do not have to pay anything for your property to be surveyed and for the initial consultation with Lakeside Flood Solutions.
Applicants have a choice of British Standard-accredited PFR products available on the market to suit their property and needs. They are not required to exclusively opt for Lakeside Flood Solutions’s products.
- The grant amount – up to £8,000
- Homeowners' contribution, if any – homeowners are expected to cover any costs over £8,000
- Installing part-measures – properties are only considered flood resilient if all recommended PFR measures are installed
The average cost-per-property, based on the latest contract, is £7,910 and would be completely covered by the PFR grant. 44% of homeowners have had to top up.
Please check with your home insurance company to find out if installing PFR measures will affect your insurance cost.
Eligibility Criteria
To apply for a PFR grant, you must:
- have experienced internal flooding from local water sources, or
- reside in Essex (excluding the unitary authorities of Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock) in a designated Critical Drainage Area (CDA)
Only the homeowner(s) can apply for the PFR grant.
What is a designated Critical Drainage Area?
A CDA outlines a boundary for hotspots at significant risk of flooding from ‘local’ water sources including ditches, drains, rainfall and surface water runoff. CDAs are designated based on their history of flooding, or potential for future flooding impacting properties and the safety of residents. While not all properties are at risk of flooding in a CDA, blocked drains, building new impermeable surfaces or installing water butts within a CDA can have negative or positive impacts on others.
Check if your property is in a designated Critical Drainage Area.
What is not considered as internal flooding from local flood risk sources
Garages, non-habitable spaces, outbuildings and storage facilities. Flooding from freshwater leaks also do not qualify.