YORK people are being encouraged to apply for thousands of pounds worth of flood grants while they still have the chance.

Hundreds of people have already been given flood resilience grants to help protect their homes from rising waters in the future, but the city council is about to apply a deadline for new applications.

Residents and businesses will have until May 31 this year to apply for up to £5,000.

Cllr Andrew Waller, executive member for the environment, said: “Many councils are closing their schemes at the end of March, but we are running ours a little longer to allow residents time to apply.

“This recognises that the repairs have taken many months for many to get back into their homes. Central government have indicated that they want to finalise the process this summer and this deadline allows time for applications to come through the system.

“Help with the forms has been given to businesses and residents and I hope that this last push will bring in the last group of people who have yet to apply.”

So far the council has received 200 applications for support and approved funding worth £758,000.

The grants provide of up to £5,000 are available for properties which were hit during Storm Desmond and Storm Eva late in 2015, to give owners chance to better prepare their homes for bad weather in the future by preventing flood water getting in, and by making the recovery process easier if the buildings do flood.

Cllr Waller will be asked to confirm the May deadline at a meeting next week, as he receives a report about the resilience grants and the independent York Flood Inquiry.

The report shows that so far resilience grants worth a total of £758,160 have been approved for 197 properties.

In addition 395 homes have been given £500 flood recovery grants, and 114 businesses have been given up to £2,500 each.

Council tax and business rate exemptions add almost another £1.8 million to the financial help given to flooded homes and businesses.

The decision session which on the application deadline takes place on Monday, March 6 at 5.30pm at West Offices, and is open to members of the public to attend or watch live online from www.york.gov.uk/webcasts

The application form for the resilience grant is available at www.york.gov.uk/FloodResilienceGrants