Witney News - Most vulnerable and needy flood victims can claim

Most vulnerable and needy flood victims can claim

Councils across Oxfordshire have today 26th November launched a new grant scheme to distribute more than £250,000 in public donations allocated through the British Red Cross to help the most vulnerable local victims of the July floods.

Completely separate from the £956,000 of Government funding already being paid out by Oxfordshire councils to flood affected local residents, the new scheme is targeting those in greatest need – particularly the elderly, disabled, people on low incomes or state benefits and lone parents.

The money will go to people still suffering from the aftermath of flood water, irrespective of whether or not they have already claimed a flood recovery or additional hardship grant from their council.

But to qualify for this extra help, they will need to have suffered loss and be able to demonstrate they fall into at least one of the vulnerable categories identified.

Barry Tanswell of the Oxfordshire Community Foundation speaking on behalf of the distribution board set up to allocate these funds said, “We will be writing with an application form to all those who applied for hardship funding from the Government scheme. However, anyone who has suffered because of flooding can apply, irrespective of whether they have claimed before.”

Application forms are available by phoning the relevant council from those listed below or by downloading a form from one of the website addresses shown.

West Oxfordshire District Council, 01993 861000 www.westoxon.gov.uk/redcrossgrant
Oxford City Council, 01865 249811 www.oxford.gov.uk
Vale of White Horse District Council, 01235 520202 www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk
Cherwell District Council, 01295 252535 www.cherwell-dc.gov.uk