New figures reveal that the average buildings claim among Cumbrians affected by Storm Desmond is £44,000.

One Carlisle man says his entire claim has topped £100,000 but it could have been much more if he didn't have plans in place following a near miss in 2005.

The figures have emerged as new research has found that 90 per cent of floodplains in the county no longer work properly.

Co-op Insurance funded environmental experts from the University of Salford to find out why flooding is getting worse and what impact it is having on the county.

The Co-op has also surveyed people affected by the flooding and 58 per cent of them stated that they believe it is getting worse.

Over half - 53 per cent - have been flooded more than once while a tenth have been flooded three times.

Just less than a tenth - seven per cent - have been affected on more than four occasions.

Concerns about future incidents remain high.

A fifth of adults say they are worried about flooding happening again every time it rains. A further fifth say they frequently worry about floods.

A third of people surveyed have also moved house because they were flooded; a further 29 per cent have considered it.

The insurance firm decided to fund university research after working with some of the 5,000 homes and hundreds of communities affected by the winter 2015 storms.


Martyn Dyer-Smith Martyn Dyer-Smith, of Petteril Street, Carlisle was among them and he features in the newly-published Changing Face of Floodplains report.

He said: "In 2005 we had a near miss with floods, and so my wife and I prepared a flood plan. Due to this we were well prepared for when Storm Desmond hit in 2015.

"What we couldn't possibly have been prepared for however, was the impact that the floods of Storm Desmond had on the structure of our home.

"We immediately had to move out of the house and it was 326 days before we were back. Our entire claim I believe came to over £100,000 but I dread to think what the claim would have been if we didn't have our plan in place."

The first study of its kind conducted across Cumbria, the new report reveals that 90 per cent of floodplains are no longer able to withhold water.

As a result water now flows downstream more quickly, putting greater pressure on towns and villages further along.

Two-thirds - 65 per cent - are not operating properly because the land has been altered and now consist of man-made, smoother surfaces, the report states.

Building on floodplains only accounts for a loss of nine per cent of them.

A further four per cent are now open water and another six per cent by woodland and grassland.

Dr George Heritage, from the University of Salford, said: "The speed at which floodplains have deteriorated is a cause for great concern.

"Given the fact that UK weather will consist of more storms in years to come, if we don’t act now to restore these floodplains, what we saw with Storm Desmond in Cumbria will be a more frequent occurrence."

James Hillon, director of products at Co-op Insurance, said: "We’ve seen first-hand the devastating effects that floods can have on peoples’ lives and so we want to take action and try to help to reduce the impact of flooding and support those affected."