Flooded homes will be exempt from paying council tax under a plan drawn up by Surrey councils and the police to help families affected by the recent severe weather.

The county and local councils together with the Police and Crime Commissioner have agreed that residents whose homes have suffered internal flooding will not have to pay any council tax to them for three months.

Announcing the scheme, county council Leader David Hodge said: “We want to do all we can to help those residents who have seen their home flooded in the last few months.

“The flooding has turned the lives of many people upside down and we hope three months without having to pay council tax will go some way to helping them get back on their feet.”

Around 2,000 homes that have suffered internal flooding are covered by the scheme. Borough and district councils will identify which households get the offer.

The scheme is set to cost the county council around £750,000 and will mean the average Surrey council tax payer saving around £500 on their annual bill.

It is hoped much of this sum will be recouped from the Government’s £4 million fund to help flooded families. However, this fund will be shared out across the country so it is not certain how much Surrey will finally get.

David Hodge added: “It is vital that we give people certainty when they are going through such difficult times and we wanted to make a clear offer to those whose homes have suffered internal flooding as soon as possible.”