Press Release

FSB help available for flood-stricken small businesses

22 January 2008

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is once again stepping in to help flood-stricken firms and reminding them that finance is available.  Several regions have been hit by the floods in the past twenty-four hours in many parts of the U.K. including Yorkshire, Shrewsbury, and Worcester.  Northern Ireland is also suffering severe traffic disruption.

In July 2007 the FSB set up a flood fund from which FSB members could apply to receive an interest free loan of up to £5,000 to help those businesses affected to get back on their feet.  The FSB operated a similar assistance fund during the Foot and Mouth crisis in 2001.

John Wright, FSB National Chairman, said:

“The FSB realises just how important it is for a small business affected by these unforeseeable incidents to be up and running as soon as possible, hence our interest free loan fund.

“However, we still need Government bodies such as the Environment Agency to focus as much on helping businesses to get back on their feet as they do on helping people get back to a normal life in their homes.  It is little comfort to someone to arrive back in their house only to discover their employer has gone bust as a result of flooding.

“Any FSB member wishing to apply for assistance should contact their regional FSB office for further information.”