Personal Hardship Assistance Program

This program aims to provide assistance to people experiencing financial hardship because of a single house fire or a natural disaster related emergency such as bushfire, flood, severe storm or earthquake.

There are two types of assistance available:
1. Emergency relief assistance payment
- May be available for up to seven days after the emergency event.
- Financial assistance payments are paid to recipients by prepaid debit card. A prepaid card can be used to:
a) Make purchases at stores that accept EFTPOS.
b) Withdraw cash from an ATM.
- Financial assistance payments are paid to recipients by prepaid debit card wherein cash withdrawals and EFTPOS purchases are limited to $1,000 per day.

2. Emergency re-establishment assistance payment
- May be available in addition to emergency relief payments.
- This payment will support eligible recipients to re-establish their homes as quickly as possible after a natural disaster.
- The total maximum emergency re-establishment payment is $42,250 per household (as at December 2019).

Eligible applicants must meet the following requirements:
- For emergency relief assistance, have suffered hardship, or are likely to suffer hardship, as a result of an emergency.
- For emergency re-establishment assistance:
a) The claimant's home must be uninhabitable or inaccessible for more than seven days because of a natural disaster.
b) Must meet income-tests.
c) The losses or damage must not be covered in part or in whole by insurance.

A needs assessment is carried out by a Personal Hardship Assistance Officer to determine eligibility for emergency relief assistance.

Eligible activities include:
1. Emergency relief assistance payment
- Those that help meet immediate needs, including emergency food, shelter, clothing, medication and accommodation.

2. Emergency re-establishment assistance payment
- Alternative accommodation
- Removal of debris
- Home repairs
- Reconnection of essential services
- Rebuilding and replacement of essential household contents

Relief payments are not available:
- To cover the costs of cleaning up fallen trees or branches on properties.
- To cover the cost of repairing or replacing fences.
- For loses or impacts associated with power outages.
- To cover business losses or compensate for lost income.
- Motor vehicle repairs or towing.
- Paying insurance excess.