After several communities in the UK experienced their worst flooding in 200 years, owners of flood-stricken homes will be offered up to £500 and a council tax exemption, the communities secretary has announced.

Four people lost their lives and nearly 1,500 homes have been submerged as a result of Storm Dennis, with more heavy rain forecast and warnings of possible flooding in more than 320 locations as of Tuesday night, in six areas posing a “danger to life”.

Residents in the Shropshire towns of Ironbridge and Bridgnorth were urged to evacuate their properties, while residents in Bewdley near Kidderminster were warned that flood barriers at Beales Corner might not be able to withstand the rising water levels.

Some homeowners and businesses will be able to seek three months of relief from council tax and business rates respectively as they start to salvage their properties, Robert Jenrick said late on Tuesday.

On top of the £500 hardship relief for individual households, businesses and homes will be eligible to apply for up to £5,000 to help make properties more resilient to future flooding, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said.

Storm Dennis in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Storm Dennis in pictures Storm Dennis in pictures Flood water surrounds Upton upon Severn in Worcestershire. Severe flood warnings remain in place in the wake of Storm Dennis, with more rain expected to fall in the week PA Storm Dennis in pictures A husky and its owner are rescued by emergency services after flooding in Nantgarw, Wales after Storm Dennis hit the UK PA Storm Dennis in pictures Waves crash against the harbour wall in Isle of Whithorn Getty Storm Dennis in pictures An employee cleans a nail salon on Market street in Pontypridd after Storm Dennis hits the UK leading to widespread flooding PA Storm Dennis in pictures Flooding from the River Wye Getty Storm Dennis in pictures Laura Court and Louise Bedgood mop up the floor of Lougos hair dressers in Oxford Street, Nantgarw EPA Storm Dennis in pictures A Land Rover wades through flooded roads in the Wye Valley, near the hamlet of Wellesley in Hereford Getty Storm Dennis in pictures A rainbow appears over flooded fields in the Wye Valley Getty Storm Dennis in pictures A firefighter carries a dog to safety as part of ongoing rescue operations due to flooding in Nantgarw PA Storm Dennis in pictures Two men cleaning up the street in Pontypridd PA Storm Dennis in pictures Rescue operations continue after flooding in Nantgarw PA Storm Dennis in pictures Flood water surrounds Upton upon Severn PA Storm Dennis in pictures Members of the public start the clean up following flooding from storm Dennis in Newcastleton, Scotland Getty Images Storm Dennis in pictures Local residents remain cheerful as walk through receding floodwater in Mountain Ash, Wales PA Storm Dennis in pictures A car trapped by debris carried by floodwater, on the road outside the Aberdare Hotel in Mountain Ash, Wales PA Storm Dennis in pictures Flood water surrounds Upton upon Severn PA Storm Dennis in pictures Flood water surrounds abandoned cars left in a flooded street in Tenbury Wells, after the River Teme burst its banks in western England AFP via Getty Storm Dennis in pictures A man rescues a floating plant pot from flood water, outside of a flood-bound house in Tenbury Wells AFP via Getty Storm Dennis in pictures Items float in flood water inside a flooded charity shop in Tenbury Wells AFP via Getty Storm Dennis in pictures Flood damage in Bridge Street, Crickhowell, South Wales Reuters Storm Dennis in pictures A digger is used to clear debris, carried by floodwater, from the road outside the Aberdare Hotel PA Storm Dennis in pictures Flood water surrounds abandoned cars left in a flooded street in Tenbury Wells AFP via Getty Storm Dennis in pictures An Environmental Agency Officer gives a briefing as the River Ouse in York continues to rise potentially causing further flooding as Storm Dennis causes disruption across the country Getty Storm Dennis in pictures A man walks through a flooded convenience store in Tenbury Wells AFP via Getty Storm Dennis in pictures Flood water surrounds abandoned cars left in a flooded street in Tenbury Wells AFP via Getty Storm Dennis in pictures Employees of York City Council use sand bags to increase flood defences Getty Storm Dennis in pictures A van is driven through standing water on a road in Tenbury Wells AFP via Getty Storm Dennis in pictures A footbridge in Pontypridd is blocked by debris after Storm Dennis hit the UK PA Storm Dennis in pictures Waves crash over the lighthouse at Porthcawl, South Wales Reuters Storm Dennis in pictures Members of the 4th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland erect flood barricades in Ilkley, West Yorkshire AFP via Getty Storm Dennis in pictures Bricks and debris cover damaged cars after part of a building collapsed in Herne Bay AFP via Getty Images Storm Dennis in pictures An empty coach sits abandoned in flood water after the River Teme burst its banks near Lindridge AFP via Getty Images Storm Dennis in pictures Standing water on a road in Tenbury Wells AFP via Getty Storm Dennis in pictures A firefighter carries a dog to safety as part of ongoing rescue operations due to flooding in Nantgarw PA Storm Dennis in pictures A rescue boat is lifted from the water by Mountain Rescue crews after a river patrol on the River Ouse in York Getty Images Storm Dennis in pictures Flood water surrounds grave stones in a graveyard in Tenbury Wells AFP via Getty Images Storm Dennis in pictures One-year-old Blake is carried by a rescue worker as emergency services continue to take families to safety PA Storm Dennis in pictures A dog and its owner are rescued by emergency services after flooding in Nantgarw PA Storm Dennis in pictures A car passes over Teston Bridge near Maidstone in Kent PA Storm Dennis in pictures An aerial view of the Welsh village of Crickhowell which has been cut off Getty Images

“Storms Dennis and Ciara have severely impacted a large number of households and businesses – and I recognise how destabilising this can be,” Mr Jenrick said.

He claimed the new measures – which only apply to those living in district or unitary authorities that have 25 or more flooded households – will “help people in the worst-hit areas to recover and get back on their feet as soon as possible”.

But Labour alleged the announcement was “a desperate PR exercise”, as Boris Johnson faced anger and ridicule for failing to visit flood-hit areas, which he had done – albeit after several days – when floods struck during the general election campaign.

“After days of inaction, ministers are now finally lurching slowly into action," said shadow environment secretary Luke Pollard. “With the prime minister nowhere to be seen and calls to convene Cobra to help communities flooded again ignored, this smacks of being a desperate PR exercise.”

Mr Jenrick also announced that the cross-Whitehall Flood Recovery Taskforce would convene this week, bringing together environment, businesses and transport ministers to provide flood-stricken areas with support and guidance.

The £500 community recovery grant to individual households will be paid to local councils by the MHCLG, while the £2,500 business recovery grant will come from the Department for Business and will be paid to businesses who cannot recover flood damage costs from insurance.

The extra cash for flood-hit areas comes after the government activated the emergency Bellwin scheme, both after Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis.

Under the scheme, local authorities dealing with the flooding can apply to have 100 per cent of their eligible costs reimbursed by the Government after putting on rest centres and temporary accommodation, or to pay staff for overtime.

The Environment Agency is urging people to check the latest safety advice, with further heavy rain expected to fall on areas already affected by the wet weather later this week.

The agency said it has more than 900 staff on the ground operating flood defences and temporary pumps, clearing debris from rivers, inspecting flood defences and supporting affected communities.

Operational teams have put up more than 6km of temporary flood barriers across the country and flood defences have protected nearly 25,000 properties from the impacts of Storm Dennis, said an agency spokesman.

Dr Michael Byrne, a lecturer in climate science at the University of St Andrews, has warned that future storms will bring more rain due to climate change.

“When they come, they bring more rain, 100 per cent for certain, because of climate change,” he said on Monday.