Norfolk flooding victims say they are being failed after an investigation revealed only a tiny proportion of people have managed to get support to protect their homes.
Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request show just 7pc of people applying for flood resilience grants - money offered by the government to help victims - have been successful since 2018.
Just 27 homes that have been flooded in the last seven years have had protection measures installed.
It has left victims who have suffered repeated floods wondering if the worst of the damage could have been prevented if they had received funding for protection measures before being struck again.
One homeowner, who is still living in temporary accommodation after her home was flooded by Storm Babet last October - the second flood in three years - has called the situation "scandalous".
FUNDING FLOP
Property Flood Resilience grants (PFR) offer homeowners and businesses that have suffered flooding to apply for support to protect their homes.
However, the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) scheme requires a lengthy process to be successful.
Norfolk County Council (NCC), as the local flood authority, is the facilitator but they must have approval from the Environment Agency (EA) before any work can start.
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An initial survey of the property is carried out before a business case is submitted to the EA.
Since 2018, 374 people have applied for PFR grants. Nearly half of those (149) are still waiting for an initial survey.
So far, 27 applications have been successful, while 67 have had surveys and have opted to continue.
The remaining properties have either withdrawn from the scheme, did not qualify for funding, their property was deemed unsuitable or the applicant was unable to pay for measures above the grant value.
"IT IS A SHAMBLES"
Lynn Shortt, who lives with her husband Hans and their dog Rainbow in Attleborough, was first flooded on Christmas Eve in 2020.
Their house was left badly damaged after it was swamped by flood water, forcing them to stay in temporary accommodation for several months while they rebuilt their lives.
They applied for a PFR grant shortly after but while a survey has been carried out, they are still yet to receive any funding.
Disaster struck again in October 2023, when Storm Babet brought torrential rain that led to one of the biggest flooding events Attleborough has suffered in decades.
More than 130 homes were affected and once again, the Shortts were forced out of their home they had only recently made habitable again.
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Mrs Shortt said: "It may not have been so bad this time if we had received the funding. We could have had flood doors installed and a non-return valve put in that would have stopped sewage water coming up from the toilet.
"The whole thing is a shambles. We are promised help but it takes forever to arrive.
"When you have been flooded you need help right away. They should hang their heads in shame."
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Following the flooding caused by Storm Babet last year, which badly affected households across the country, the government announced a new pot of money to support those affected.
A Flood Recovery Framework fund was set up, providing a package of funding up to £5,000 for protection measures.
People were invited to apply in May, eight months after their homes were flooded.
So far, only three people have applied and had applications approved.
Mrs Shortt believes many people will have already moved back into their homes and will be reluctant to "rip apart" their newly renovated properties to put in protection measures, if successful.
CALLS FOR CHANGE
James Bensly, NCC cabinet member for environment and waste, agrees that homeowners are waiting too long to get support.
He said: "There are different types of funding available to help eligible residents protect their homes and, unfortunately, some of these currently take longer than we would like.
“We understand the increasing impact that flooding is having on homes and businesses across the county.
"We set up the Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance to bring key partners together to tackle the problem and we have consistently asked the government for more funding and simpler processes to make it easier for people to access the help they need when they need it.
In September last year, the EA promised to improve the way PFR grants are delivered by streamlining the process to make it easier for partners to access funding.
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