Dumfries and Galloway Flood Recovery Support
This webpage is designed as a one-stop shop for households and businesses affected by the severe flooding that took place across Dumfries and Galloway in late December 2022. It signposts to all the help and support available and will be updated regularly.
When we update it, we'll tell you on our social media - so you don't have to keep checking back. You can get our updates by following us on Facebook and Twitter.
Community Conversations
Community Planning Partners want to understand the views of individuals, families, communities and businesses affected by the flooding event on 30 December 2022.
A series of Community Conversations are set to take place across the region in response to the recent severe flooding that has affected householders and businesses. The Community Conversations will initially be held in locations impacted by the recent flood.
These Community Conversations are informal drop-ins, whereby members of the public and businesses can access flood recovery information and engage with representatives from a range of council services and partner organisations.
Organisations include the Council Roads and Infrastructure, Benefits and Grants, Business Support and Flood Teams; the Scottish Flood Forum; Social Landlords; and certain Utility providers.
These Community Conversations will also involve the Community Resilience Teams, where active in the neighbourhoods.
Date | Time | Venue |
13th February 2023 | 5pm to 7pm | Dalbeattie Town Hall |
15th February 2023 | 5pm to 7pm | Kirkton Village Hall |
20th February 2023 | 4pm to 6pm | Tynron Parish Hall |
21st February 2023 | 6.30pm to 8.30pm | The Bridge, Dumfries |
2nd March 2023 | 5pm to 7pm | Stranraer Customer Service Centre |
Grants and support for households and tenants
Scottish Welfare Fund
The Scottish Welfare Fund is able to assist those affected by flooding where they do not have any other form of support. For example, if you do not have home or contents insurance.
Any support received from the Scottish Welfare Fund will not affect benefit entitlements.
The fund is divided into two areas: Crisis grants and Community Care grants.
Crisis grants
These can provide emergency one-off payments to assist with immediate living expenses such as food, gas and electricity.
Further information, including how to apply, can be found at: Crisis grants - Dumfries and Galloway Council (dumgal.gov.uk).
Community Care grants
These are awards of furniture and household goods to help people set up home or remain in the community.
Further information, including how you can apply, can be found at: Community care grants - Dumfries and Galloway Council (dumgal.gov.uk).
You can also apply over the phone by requesting a call-back on 030 3333 3007.
Help with council tax and housing benefit
If you have to move out of your home for an extended period for repairs to be undertaken and the property is left unoccupied and unfurnished, you may be entitled to up to 12 months exemption from council tax. Please contact us to advise and we will support you through any changes to your Housing Benefit/Universal Credit and or Council Tax liability.
Please email counciltax@dumgal.gov.uk or call 030 33 33 3005 ensuring you provide your full name, names of all other adults affected, address of the property, address you are living in.
Further information is available on our website at www.dumgal.gov.uk/counciltax
Flood Re Build Back Better Insurance
Flood Re helps households at the highest risk of flooding. It is a re-insurance scheme that makes flood cover more widely available and affordable as part of your home insurance.
Flood Re will run for 25 years, at which point insurers should be offering policies based on actual risk to property.
It is a world-leading approach to protecting UK homes against the risk of flooding and offers homeowners the chance to install Property Flood Resilience measures up to £10,000 when repairing their properties after a flood.
To find out more please visit Build Back Better - Flood Re
Support for businesses
Advice and information about support for businesses is available after a major flood event through our Business Gateway service. If you haven't heard from one of our advisers and need support, please contact Business Gateway on 01387 808738 or use the link below.
https://www.bgateway.com/local-offices/dumfries-and-galloway/contact-us
If you are looking to improve or innovate your business after being impacted by flooding, you can contact our partner agency South of Scotland Enterprise. In addition, the Scottish Flood Forum offers support to individuals and communities at risk from flooding.
https://www.southofscotlandenterprise.com/
https://scottishfloodforum.org
Business rates discount
If your business premises has been forced to close, you are unable to trade and you have a rating liability, you may apply for unoccupied rates relief Please advise the Business rates of the change to your business circumstances here Non Domestic Rates Enquiry Form - Dumfries and Galloway Council (dumgal.gov.uk) or by calling 01387 260085.
Information about Rates relief for unoccupied properties can be found here https://www.dumgal.gov.uk/article/15189/Business-rates-reductions-for-unoccupied-properties
Bulky uplifts
Anyone who has been flooded can request a bulky uplift free-of-charge. Just call 030 33 33 3000.
To help business-owners and householders, our Council provided skips in Whitesands, Kirkton and Moniaive. The skips have now been replaced at Whitesands and Kirkton. Our bulky uplift teams have been undertaking clearance works at Whitesands and at other locations remote from skips and will continue to do so.
Officers from the Council's Strategic Housing department will continue to engage with the Registered Social Landlords to support them in recovering from the flooding.
For further information on our Bulky Waste Collection Service please visit Bulky waste collection - Dumfries and Galloway Council (dumgal.gov.uk).
Flooding information and advice: Council
There is lots of advice and information to help protect your family, property and belongings before and after flooding on Dumfries and Galloway Council's dedicated flooding page, including:
- Flood Risk Management
- Preparing for Flooding
- Flood Alerts and Warnings
- Report Flooding and Burst Water Mains
- During a Flood
- After a Flood
You will also find information about flood risk management plans, Whitesands and DGVOST.
Trusted Trader scheme
In addition, if you need to find a tradesperson to repair damage caused by the flooding, our Trusted Trader scheme helps you to choose a reputable trader from customer feedback.
The scheme is aimed mainly at home improvement traders. The traders are reviewed by customers as well as checked and monitored by Dumfries and Galloway Council to make sure they're trading legally.
For further information please visit Trusted Trader scheme - Dumfries and Galloway Council (dumgal.gov.uk)
Where can you find more information on flooding?
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
SEPA is the flood warning authority for Scotland.
- Check out their flood maps to show where flooding may impact
- Rainfall data
- Register for SEPA Floodline to receive advanced notice of flooding
Scottish Water
Scottish Water is responsible for providing water and waste-water services to household customers and wholesale Licenced Providers. It delivers the investment priorities of Ministers within the funding allowed by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland.
- Visit www.scottishwater.co.uk/flooding
- Call their customer helpline on 0800 0778 778
The Scottish Flood Forum
The Scottish Flood Forum is a charitable organisation which supports individuals and communities at risk of flooding and that have flooded. It specialises in flood recovery and resilience.
- Ready for Flooding leaflet
- Household Flood Plan leaflet
- Flood Protection Guide leaflet
- A brief guide to drying your home leaflet
- Property Protection Advisor - this is a simple 'ready reckoner' tool that raises awareness of the options available and initial costs towards flood resistance measures for different types of properties
- Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters Guide to Professional Conduct
- For further information visit www.scottishfloodforum.org
Flooding latest
For the most up-to-date information on weather and for flood alerts:
If you're feeling worried and anxious
This can be a worrying time for people and talking it through with someone can help.
If you have any concerns about your health after being affected by flooding, please consult your GP or call NHS 24 on 111.
Breathing Space
Breathing Space is Scotland's mental health helpline for individuals experiencing symptoms of low mood, depression or anxiety and offers free and confidential advice for individuals over the age of 16. They can be contacted on 0800 83 85 87, 6pm to 2am Monday to Thursday; and from 6pm Friday throughout the weekend to 6am Monday.
Samaritans
Samaritans provide confidential non-judgemental emotional support 24 hours a day for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair. You can contact Samaritans free by phoning 116 123.
NHS24 Mental Health Hub
Telephone advice and support on healthcare can be obtained from NHS24 by phoning 111; the Mental Health Hub is open 24/7.
Childline
Childline is a free service for children and young people, for whenever they need support or advice. It is open 24/7, and there are many ways to get support. You can call 0800 1111. Other ways are set out on their website: www.childline.org.uk
Mind to Mind
A range of useful information to support your mental wellbeing including feeling anxious, stressed, or low, or having problems or dealing with grief based on what people have found helpful. Visit: https://www.nhsinform.scot/mind-to-mind
Lifelines Scotland Volunteer Responders
Lifelines Scotland is a national NHS project working with government, statutory, voluntary and charitable partners to support the wellbeing of emergency service staff and volunteers in Scotland. Visit: https://www.lifelines.scot
The scale of the flood
The scale of the late December 2022 flooding was unprecedented in some parts of the region.
Impacts were experienced across Dumfries and Galloway, from Stranraer through to Annan. River levels were also high in the Esk at Langholm, although it, and the Cree in Newton Stewart, did not exceed channel capacity.
Within the Annan catchment, the Annan broke its banks resulting in flooding at various places including Millhousebridge and the A709 at Shillahill Bridge, where roads were closed.
The Dee/Ken catchment flooded with roads along both sides of the Loch Ken closed due to flood water. These closures extended downstream to A711 to Kirkcudbright. Flooding was also experienced in Castle Douglas.
In Dalbeattie, flooding occurred in a number of locations including Gala Avenue, Blair Street and Port Road and next to the High School. Although some flooding was associated with watercourses exceeding their capacity, in other locations it was the volume of run-off from adjacent land, which exceeded the capacity of the culverts.
In Stranraer, flooding from the Gallowhill saw impacts at Moorefield. Impacts were also experienced on Station Street from the Town Burn.
The Nith catchment took the brunt of the heavy rainfall, with flooding experienced from Kirkconnel though to Kingholm Quay, with communities at Auldgirth, Moniaive, Penpont, Kirkton, and Dumfries including Nunholm, Sandside and Whitesands flooded.
Initial feedback from SEPA was that the flooding on the Nith through Dumfries was the highest on record, with a recording of 1,170 cumecs at the Greensands. A cumec is a cubic metre (1 tonne) of water per second.
Our Council's approach
Since 29 December, Dumfries and Galloway Council has been working closely with partner agencies to help mitigate the impact of the severe flooding that has affected householders and businesses across Dumfries and Galloway.
As part of our response to the Severe Flood Warning for the Whitesands that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) issued, the PARD (Persons at Risk Database) was accessed, and checks were undertaken to confirm the safety of more than 250 vulnerable people within the flood area of the river Nith.
Rest centre
A rest centre was established at Dumfries and Galloway Council's The Bridge on 30 December, and the small number of people who attended were ultimately accommodated in local hotels. The facility remained open, should there have been further demand, but generally those residents of residential properties impacted made arrangements to stay with friends or relatives.
Across the whole region, during and immediately after the flooding, we inspected roads and bridges and reopened them as flood water receded. At the peak of the floods, Dumfries and Galloway Council had to close more than 60 roads. Most have been reopened.
Roads maintenance update
Verge and carriageway repairs have now been completed on the C22n Quarrelwood and the road has now re-opened.
The C110n Irongray remains closed, awaiting verge maintenance repairs, followed by surfacing work. Surfacing work on the C114n/C125 Allanton will be carried out at the same time as the C110n.
Surfacing work has been completed on the C37n at the U390n junction Glenesslin.
Surfacing work at C116n Crossford is anticipated to be completed on 27 January 2023.
Works on C125n Holm of Drumlanrig and C125n Kelloholm-Glenairlie Bridge will commence on 30 January 2023.
Our roads teams are continually inspecting and monitoring the flood damage to the road network and will continue to do so.
Along with our partners, we will continue to issue regular communications via social media platforms so that residents and businesses are kept fully informed and we will continue to work closely with partner organisations to support affected citizens and businesses to recover from this flood.
2,000 sandbags
Across the region, we provided in excess of 2,000 sandbags to residents and businesses to help mitigate the impact of the flooding.
Our Streetscene Operatives have now been out and about in those worst-hit communities to support the clean-up operation and have removed and disposed of contaminated sandbags from Dumfries, Kirkton, Moniaive, Penpont and Tynron.
In addition, we engaged with a number of local firms over the festive period who were able to provide support and assistance to local communities.
*DGVOST is a multi-agency response team, deployed to deal with emergency situations.
Ward Visits
Following the recent flooding, representatives including Ward Members, our Director Communities, partner organisations and Ward Officers have met with residents, businesses and Community Resilience volunteers in areas affected by the recent floods.
Visits took place in Dumfries, Kirkton, Tynron, Stranraer, Moniaive, Kirkconnel and Dalbeattie. We continue to work with partner organisations to support our region's recovery from these devastating floods.
Latest news
For the latest news on support available to householders and businesses, and what the Council is doing to help, check out our Latest News page.
For a message from our Co-Leaders click here.
For our social media updates:
Contact us
If you have any general enquiries or are not sure who to talk to, please email us at: contact@dumgal.gov.uk or call us on 030 33 33 3000 or you can write to us at Dumfries and Galloway Council, Council Offices, English Street, Dumfries DG1 2DD and we will direct your enquiry to the right person.
