Organisation Claims 60% Of Small Firms Without A Flood Plan

Over half of small businesses in the UK lack plans to deal with extreme weather conditions such as snow storms and flooding, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has claimed.

New research from the FSB discovered that three out of five (59%) small firms do not have a flood plan in place, despite the fact that two thirds (66%) have been hit by the effects of flooding, drought or snow over the last three years.

The organisation said the government must extend its protection of businesses this winter, following the wettest winter on record earlier at the start of 2014, when 3,200 commercial properties were flooded.
 
FSB National Policy Chairman Mike Cherry said: "We remain concerned that small businesses will not be included in the government's Flood Re-agreement, designed to limit insurance costs for those at most risk of flooding.
 
"Firms need to be reassured that affordable flood insurance will be available in the future. Currently three in ten do not have the right cover in place."

Expert Opinion

Businesses cannot afford to ignore the issue of contingency planning and having measures in place to ensure operations can still function in the event of a major incident. This is particularly important when it comes to matters such as client and customer data security, as failing to have back-ups could have significant consequences if buildings are damaged as a result of severe weather. <br/> <br/>"All companies need to recognise the importance of the issue and it is particularly important for SMEs, as failing to put plans in place could have major consequences for them both financially and reputationally." Fergal Dowling - Partner