Guidance on the range of grants and payments available to people affected by severe weather and flooding in NSW.
If you've been affected by floods, you might be eligible for disaster recovery payments. This support is administered by the Australian Government.
You may be eligible if you were affected by floods during:
September through to November 2022 (AGRN 1034)
July 2022 (AGRN 1025)
February 2022 (AGRN 1012).
Visit the list of natural disaster declarations to determine if you’re in an eligible local government area (LGA).
For more information, call Services Australia on 180 22 66.
Disaster Recovery Payment – $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child if your home has been severely damaged or destroyed, or you've been seriously injured.
Disaster Recovery Allowance – short-term income assistance (up to 13 weeks) if you've lost income as a result of the floods.
New Zealand Disaster Recovery Payment – support for New Zealanders living in areas adversely affected by the floods.
New Zealand Disaster Recovery Allowance – support for New Zealanders who have lost income as a result of the floods.
Find out more and apply on the Services Australia website.
You can also visit the Australian Government emergency support by region list to check if you live in a disaster-affected area eligible for additional child care support.
If you have been by affected floods, you may be eligible for a Disaster Relief Grant. This financial assistance is provided to help people to recover a basic standard of living.
You may be eligible if you were affected by floods during:
September through to November 2022
July 2022
February 2022
November 2021.
Visit the list of natural disaster declarations to determine if you’re in an eligible local government area (LGA). For more information, call Service NSW on 13 77 88.
You may be eligible if:
your home (primary place of residence) was damaged by a natural disaster
you do not have insurance for the damage
you are a low-income earner with limited financial resources.
You may not be eligible if:
lack of maintenance has caused or impacted the damage, such as poor roof maintenance
the damage is cosmetic and not essential to living in a safe and habitable home.
Find out more about the Disaster Relief Grant on the Service NSW website.
If you were in need of short-term accommodation following a flood event, you may be eligible for the Rental Support Payment.
The payment helps NSW residents affected by the:
February and March 2022 storms and floods, who live in highly impacted suburbs
June and July 2022 storms and floods, who live in one of the disaster-declared suburbs of AGRN 1025.
It provides up to 16 weeks' rental support. The amount available to you depends on the number of people in your household, including children:
1-person household – $6,000
2-person household – $7,200
3-person household – $9,200
4-person household – $12,400
5-person household – $15,200
6-person household – $18,000.
If you have more than 6 people in your household, the payment will increase by $2,800 for each additional person.
For you to be eligible for the payment:
the property must be your primary residence
you must be a NSW resident older than 18, and
you are unable to claim temporary accommodation costs under an insurance policy, or insurance does not cover the full length of accommodation needs.
Apply for the Rental Support Payment on the Service NSW website.
You may be eligible for the Back Home Grant if your home was damaged by the:
February and March 2022 storms and floods (AGRN 1012)
June and July 2022 storms and floods (AGRN 1025).
Check if you live in one of the eligible local government areas (LGAs) on the list of natural disaster declarations.
This financial assistance can help cover the costs of restoring your property to a habitable condition, or the costs of replacing essential household items.
The grant provides owners/occupiers up to $20,000, tenants up to $5,000 and owner/investors up to $15,000.
This grant is for people who:
are unable to claim on insurance
are not eligible for other natural disaster relief.
Residents of multiple tenancies can apply, as can residents living permanently in:
caravan parks
retirement villages
houses
granny flats
apartments.
Low-income earners who are successful in their application for the Disaster Relief Grant are unable to apply for the Back Home Grant.
If you don’t qualify for the Disaster Relief Grant, you can apply for the Back Home Grant.
If you received a payment for damages caused by the February 2022 floods, you may be eligible for a second payment for additional damages from the June 2022 floods.
Find out more and apply for the Back Home Grant on the Service NSW website.
To receive funds of between $15,000 to $50,000, you will need to submit evidence of payment of the relevant costs at the time of application.
Receiving some grants or loans can make you ineligible for others.
You may also not be eligible if your costs can be covered another way, such as by your insurance. So, it’s important to document your circumstances and get tailored advice about what’s best for your business.
To check your eligibility, use the Disaster Assistance Finder. You can also call Service NSW for information and support on 13 77 88.
Get free legal advice with Legal Aid. Call 1800 801 529, from 9am to 5pm on weekdays.
Be wary of contact from unknown people pretending to be from the Australian Tax Office or Services Australia who offer to help you apply for grants or release your superannuation.
Be wary of people who contact you about helping you access government financial support.
Do not provide any of your personal or financial information.
Do not click on suspicious links that are sent to your phone or any other device.
To speak to someone you can trust, call Service NSW on 13 77 88, or visit your local recovery centre.
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