The Welsh Government announced on 26 November 2024 that it will fund local authorities to provide grants to people whose homes were flooded during Storm Bert, with the figures for internally flooded properties reported by councils across Wales. The support was confirmed in the Senedd by First Minister Eluned Morgan and Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies after visits to affected communities1.
As of midday on 26 November, local authorities had reported internal flooding to at least 433 properties in total. The figures by local authority area were: 125 in Rhondda Cynon Taf, 75 in Blaenau Gwent, 70 in Merthyr, at least 50 in Monmouth, 50 in Caerphilly, 15 in Torfaen, 6 in Powys, 6 in Carmarthenshire, 3 in Bridgend, 3 in Flintshire, 2 in Cardiff and 1 in Neath Port Talbot1.
The grants are £1,000 for households without insurance cover, or £500 for affected households with existing insurance cover1. The Welsh Government said it has provided risk management authorities with close to £300m to invest in flood risk management since 2021. This year it said it has maintained record levels of funding and provided more than £75m to flood risk management authorities across Wales, including £9.7 million capital and £4.95 million revenue funding for local authorities, and £22 million capital and £24.5 million revenue for Natural Resources Wales1.
"The first thing I want to do today is extend my heartfelt sympathies to the people whose homes and businesses were impacted by Storm Bert over the weekend."
The Deputy First Minister also said: "Storm Bert has again confronted us with the reality of what more frequent extreme weather events will mean for communities across Wales," and thanked the emergency services, Natural Resources Wales, local authorities and others working on the response1.
| Local authority area | Properties with reported internal flooding |
|---|---|
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | 125 |
| Blaenau Gwent | 75 |
| Merthyr | 70 |
| Monmouth | At least 50 |
| Caerphilly | 50 |
| Torfaen | 15 |
| Powys | 6 |
| Carmarthenshire | 6 |
| Bridgend | 3 |
| Flintshire | 3 |
| Cardiff | 2 |
| Neath Port Talbot | 1 |
Why it matters for households
Households in the listed areas whose homes took in water during Storm Bert are covered by the grant scheme, with the amount depending on whether they hold insurance. The Welsh announcement does not set out how or when households apply, and no application process or deadline has been reported. Natural Resources Wales is the body that issues flood warnings in Wales; our guide to Wales: Natural Resources Wales Warnings and Risk Maps explains the warning service, and Flood Alerts, Flood Warnings and Severe Flood Warnings sets out what each level means. For households beginning the clean-up, After a Flood: Returning Home Safely covers the practical steps, and Making an Insurance Claim After a Flood and Home Insurance in a Flood Risk Area and Flood Re cover insurance. Property Flood Resilience Grants explains grant funding for flood resilience measures, and Mental Health After a Flood: Where to Get Support lists sources of support. Our flooding hub collects the full set of guides.
What happens next
The Welsh Government said local authorities will provide the grants, but no start date for payments has been reported. The property figures are those reported by local authorities as of midday on 26 November 2024 and may change as further assessments are made1.
