To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what grants or financial assistance are available to those who are obliged to demolish their property due to coastal erosion; and what changes he plans to make to such provision. (141303)

In general, property owners are responsible for ensuring their buildings do not present a safety hazard. There are no grants available from central Government to assist with demolition.

Approaches to helping communities adapt to a changing coastline are being considered in a project, under the cross-Government “Making space for water” programme, to assess the scale and effect of concerns and to develop a broader portfolio of options for addressing them. This includes looking at the current powers local authorities have in relation to helping communities at risk from a changing coastline.