Malvern Hills Business Flood Recovery Grant - Storm Bert 2024

Thank you for completing this application form for the Malvern Hills Business Recovery Grant for Storm Bert.

Please read the following qualifying criteria before filling in this form.

Grant Levels

Three tiers of grants are proposed based on the severity of impact:

·         £2,000: For businesses with significant damage to premises, equipment, or stock, resulting in an inability to trade.

·         £1,000: For businesses with moderate impact, such as restricted access or limited loss of stock or trading days.

·         £500: For businesses experiencing minor disruptions affecting trade.

Eligibility Criteria

1.    Location: Businesses must operate within the Malvern Hills district and have been affected by flooding caused by Storm Bert in November 2024.

2.    Size: Open to SMEs with fewer than 250 employees 

3.    Impact: Evidence of impact, categorised as: 

       - Direct damage (e.g., premises, stock, or equipment).

       - Indirect effects (e.g., access restrictions or customer disruption).

4.    Ongoing Operation: The business must be continuing to trade within the Malvern Hills district following flood disruption by end of January 2025.

Eligible Expenditures

The grant can be used for:

·         Immediate clean-up and debris removal.

·         Repair or replacement of damaged premises, equipment, or stock.

·         Additional operational costs (e.g., temporary relocation, staff costs, equipment hire).

·         Business continuity and marketing efforts to regain customer base.
·         Flood protection measures.

Application Process

1.    Application Form: Businesses must complete the online application form 

2.    Verification: Local council officers will verify claims through assessing photographic evidence and physical inspections if needed.

3.    Decision: Applications will be considered within a week of submission, with possible outcomes being: 

      - Approval and grant award.

      - Request for additional information.

      - Rejection with reasons provided.

Timeline

·         Launch Date: w/c 2nd December 2024

·         Application Deadline: 31st January 2025

·         Grant Disbursement: Within two weeks of approval.

Budget and Administration

·         Funded through MHDC and UK Government UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) resources.

·         Administered by Economic Development Team at Malvern Hills District Council.

Monitoring and Accountability

·         Grants may be audited to ensure compliance with terms.

·         Misuse of funds will result in recovery actions and potential disqualification from future schemes.

The Malvern Hills Business Flood Recovery Grant is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Malvern Hills District Council.

If you have read the qualifying criteria and believe you qualify for support, then please register your details using this form. We will then assess your claim as soon as possible and contact you. It is likely that we will to need to contact you for further information in order to assess your claim and an application isn’t a guarantee of payment.