Tropical Cyclone Alfred grants, payments and financial support
Grant and financial relief and support information for those impacted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
Individuals
Personal Hardship Assistance Payment
A one-off payment of $180 for eligible individuals and $180 per eligible dependent (up to a maximum of 4 dependents) is available from Service NSW for essential costs such as food, clothing, medicine and emergency accommodation.
To be eligible for this payment individuals must reside in one of the declared affected Local Government Areas (AGRN 1198) and as a result of the disaster event:
- experienced a power outage of 48 hours or more or
- been subject to evacuation orders (Category red emergency warning).
Applications are now open and close 8 April 2025. More information can be found on the Service NSW website.
Disaster Recovery Allowance
Individuals who live or work in communities directly affected by Tropical Cyclone Alfred may be eligible for up to 13 weeks of income support.
This applies to individuals in the following 17 Local Government Areas:
Armidale, Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Glen Innes Severn, Kempsey, Kyogle, Lismore, Mid-Coast, Nambucca, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Richmond, Tenterfield and Tweed as well as the locality of Lord Howe Island, including any islands within a 3 nautical mile radius.
Check eligibility on the Services Australia website and claim online through myGov or call the Australian Government Emergency Information Line on 180 22 66.
Applications are now open and close on 8 September 2025.
Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP)
The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment is a lump sum payment of $1,000 for eligible adults and $400 for eligible children who have been adversely affected by a major disaster.
Individuals may be eligible for the payment if they meet all of the following criteria:
● They are an Australian resident or hold an eligible visa,
● They are at least 16 years of age at the time of the disaster event,
● They have been adversely impacted by a major disaster.
For information on eligibility and claiming processes, visit Services Australia or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims assistance.
Other financial assistance and support available for individuals after a disaster
Other support for individuals includes:
- immediate financial assistance (including small cash payments and direct material aid to cover food, clothing, personal items and emergency accommodation)
- grants for low income, uninsured households to replace essential household items
- grants for low income, uninsured households for essential structural repairs to homes
To be eligible for this payment individuals must reside in one of the declared affected Local Government Areas (AGRN 1198).
Grant applicants' income and assets are tested to ensure they meet additional eligibility criteria (broadly equivalent to the Age Pension test).
Access more information about other financial relief and support services available for individuals, families and households following a disaster, including:
Jointly funded by the Commonwealth and NSW Government under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Councils
Community Recovery Support Fund
Under the joint Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), a $15 million Community Recovery Support Fund has been made available to select NSW councils and their communities.
The fund will provide grants to eligible councils to support the delivery of essential immediate clean up and restoration activities for important community assets such as pre-schools, senior citizen centres, libraries and community halls.
Clean up assistance measures
Eligible councils in Northern NSW can apply for assistance in the clean-up of debris from residential properties impacted by the Cyclone Alfred weather event.
These clean up assistance measures aim to help members of the community to remove green waste and general debris from private property, including:
- the removal of fallen trees
- flood-related debris
- disaster damaged related building material debris (such as tiles, bricks, and broken glass)
- removal of septic waster
- clearing blocked drains, guttering, and downpipes.
The measures have been made available to councils from 6 March to 30 June 2025 in accordance with the NSW Disaster Assistance Guidelines.
View an overview of clean up and waste disposal guidance for councils (PDF 104.38KB) or a fact sheet on clean up assistance measures on residential properties (PDF 153.64KB) for more information.
Jointly funded by the Commonwealth and NSW Government under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Emergency works for repairing or restoring public assets
Local councils can get assistance to repair essential public assets that have been damaged due to a natural disaster, or to complete reconstruction works so that eligible, essential public assets are permanently restored.
Access more information on support available for councils after a disaster including:
- assistance to restore essential assets
- guidance for applying for waste levy exemptions.
Jointly funded by the Commonwealth and NSW Government under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Business and primary producers
Small business and primary producers may be eligible for concessional loans up to $130,000. Primary producers may also be eligible for transport subsidies of up to $15,000. View more information about financial support for business and primary producers to aid recovery after a disaster, including:
Jointly funded by the Commonwealth and NSW Government under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Non-profits and community organisations
Non-profits may be eligible for concessional loans of up to $25,000 and sporting and recreational clubs can apply for concessional loans of up to $10,000. View more information about financial support available for not-for-profits and community organisations to aid recovery after a disaster, including:
Jointly funded by the Commonwealth and NSW Government under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Eligibility
To be eligible for some special assistance measures, business, primary producers, non-profits and community organisations must be in a Local Government Area (LGA) that is covered by the NSW Tropical Cyclone Alfred natural disaster declaration (AGRN 1198).