Gradual return home for flood victims

Wednesday, 18 June 2008 7:29 AM

Around 4,700 homeowners are still in temporary accommodation, living in caravans or on the top floor of their homes following last summers floods, the government has announced.

The new figures - released one week before the anniversary of the flooding which swept through England and Wales last summer, killing 13 - show that of those homeowners who remained out of their home a month ago, around one in six (about one thousand) have now returned home.

This includes one in four who were living in caravans, with the 25 per cent ensuring there are now just over a thousand homeowners living in caravans.

Of those still not back home it is estimated that at least one in eight households do not have insurance.

"Next week is one year on from the first of last summer's floods," said John Healy at an insurance industry conference.

"Communities affected have been transformed over the last year and I pay tribute to all those who played their part in what has been one of the biggest recovery operations since the Second World War

"Thanks to the combined efforts of councils, housing associations, insurers and Government the pace of progress getting people back home is picking up.

"Of those households out of their home a month ago around one in six are now back - including one in four who were living in caravans," added Mr Healy.

Some 48,000 homes were initially affected by the flood water last summer, with Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and South Wales all affected.

Mr Healy also argues the clean-up from the floods has been a success, using floods in Carlisle during 2005 as a comparison, where 1,925 homes and businesses were affected.

Following this event, one in ten displaced households are still not back after 18 months.

"[The] government provided over £18 million to councils to help them support the most vulnerable in their communities over the last year," added Mr Healy.

"But the public also has a responsibility to do more to protect their properties and ensure they have adequate insurance in place.

"Taking out insurance may not always be everyone's top priority but a key lesson from last summer is you just can't afford not to - it can take longer to get repairs done and return home and be harder and more costly in the long run if you don't."

Chris O'Toole

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