The Government has activated an emergency fund for councils affected by flooding.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has confirmed the emergency ‘Bellwin’ scheme will be available to reimburse local authorities for their costs following the evacuation of Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire and flooding in Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire.

The fund covers costs including rest centres, temporary accommodation and staff overtime.

Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick praised council workers and residents for their ‘resilience’. He  said: ‘The Government is committed to helping the places affected by these recent events to get back on their feet.’

Another £5m of one-off funds will also be spent to aid recovery from the impact of last week’s extreme weather.

Business secretary Andrea Leadsom has announced traders affected by the Whaley Bridge evacuation will receive up to £100,000, while £150,000 of funding will also go to High Peak BC to aid recovery of the local economy.

‘Exceptional’ funding of £3m has been provided by the Department for Transport to replace two damaged bridges in Yorkshire and a further £2m from Defra will be available for farming businesses affected by the weather.

Heavy rain and landslides caused damage to bridges, roads and farmland in the North Yorkshire dales.

The town of Whaley Bridge was also evacuated for five days amid fears a dam could be breached, and roads in Lincolnshire were rendered impassable.