Owners of flood-hit homes will be able to apply for a £500 emergency grant under a raft of relief measures announced by the government.

The communities department has also pledged those hit severely by the rising water levels will not have to pay any council tax or business rates for at least three months as a huge clean-up operation continues.

The package was unveiled by Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick after major incidents were declared across England and Wales following storms Dennis and Ciara.

Image: A cross-Whitehall flood recovery taskforce is due to meet this week

It will include incentives for homeowners and businesses to become more resilient to future flooding - with grants of up to £5,000 on offer each.

A cross-Whitehall flood recovery taskforce is also due to meet later this week, Mr Jenrick revealed.


"Storms Dennis and Ciara have severely impacted a large number of households and businesses - and I recognise how destabilising this can be," he said.

"This extra support, including new funding, will help people in the worst-hit areas to recover and get back on their feet as soon as possible.

"I'd like to thank the emergency services and key agencies on the ground for their dedication and tireless work to help everyone affected in extremely challenging circumstances."

Image: Labour says the news 'smacks of being a desperate PR exercise'

So far Prime Minister Boris Johnosn has defied calls from Labour to convene the government's emergency response committee - known as COBRA - as he did following flooding in November.

Luke Pollard, the shadow environment secretary, said ministers were "finally lurching slowly into action" with a move that "smacks of being a desperate PR exercise".

"You can't build flood barriers with government press releases and a decade of cuts to flood defence budgets can't be undone by hurried announcements," he said.

"What the communities that are underwater need is a new, comprehensive and funded plan for recovery to prevent this happening again."

On top of the extra financial support, the devolved Welsh government is also pledging up to £10m for an emergency flood relief fund.

Streets awash with flood water after Storm Dennis

It will be used to rebuild bridges and repair damaged roads, as well as supporting people whose houses and businesses have been destroyed.

"It is heartbreaking to see the absolute destruction wreaked by the storms and my message to everyone I have met is that we are doing all we can to help those most in need," said First Minister Mark Drakeford.

Nearly 600 properties were flooded across England as a result of the recent extreme wet weather, according to the Environment Agency (EA).

A woman who was swept away by floodwater near Tenbury in Worcestershire on Sunday was found dead on Monday.

Communities in Neath, Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Monmouthshire are still recovering after a month's worth of rain fell in 48 hours - causing police to declare a major incident and the evacuation of hundreds of people.