Financial assistance for immediate needs through the Victims Support Scheme

Financial assistance for immediate needs can help cover urgent health, safety or wellbeing expenses resulting from a violent crime or modern slavery.

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Victims Services is here to help. Call the Victims Access Line 1800 633 063 or Aboriginal Contact Line 1800 019 123 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, excluding public holidays).

What support is available

The Victims Support Scheme offers financial assistance for immediate needs to help pay for things you need urgently for your safety, health and wellbeing.

Eligible victims may get up to $5,000 to reimburse costs such as:

changing the locks on your doors
moving house
putting an alarm in your home
emergency doctor, dentist and other medical bills
crime scene cleaning (forensic cleaning).

If you are a primary victim of domestic violence, you may be eligible for an Immediate Needs Support Package.

Who can apply

You can apply for financial assistance for immediate needs if you are a:

primary victim – violent crime
primary victim – modern slavery (in relation to acts that occurred on or after 1 January 2022)
family victim – homicide.

For more information, visit Victims Support Scheme eligibility requirements.

How long you have to apply

The time limit to apply will vary depending on your individual circumstances.

Primary victims of a violent crime and modern slavery

If you are a primary victim and were:

an adult when the incident happened, you need to apply within 2 years of the incident
a child when the incident happened, you need to apply within 2 years of turning 18 years old.

Family victims of homicide

If you are a family victim of homicide, you need to apply:

within 2 years from the date the death was established as a homicide, or
within 2 years of turning 18 if the family victim was a child at the time.

If you incur additional expenses after you make your application for financial assistance, you can claim those expenses for a further period of 5 years.

What you need to apply

You need to provide supporting documents with your completed application form.

The supporting documents are different for primary victims and family victims.

If you are providing documents in a language other than English, you need to provide a copy of the original document along with a certified translation. To learn more, visit Supporting documents for Victims Support Scheme applications.

What you need to apply if you are a primary victim

If you are a primary victim applying for financial assistance for immediate needs, you need to submit the following information and supporting documents with your completed application for support:

a clear copy or image of your current government-issued identification, as well as a copy of your parent or guardian's identification if you're under 18
your bank account details or your parent, step-parent or guardian's bank account details if you are under 18 years old
a report that explains what happened and how the incident affected you
copies of itemised tax invoices, receipts or treatment plans for the costs you are claiming and a description of how each cost relates directly to the incident
evidence of money received from other sources related to the act of violence or modern slavery.

Learn more about providing this information and the supporting documents below.

Government-issued identification

You need to provide a copy or image of one form of current government-issued identification with your application.

This could be a:

birth certificate
Centrelink card
change of name certificate
driver licence
marriage certificate
Medicare card
MIN card (current inmates only)
passport
photo card
SafeWork licence
SafeWork white card
screenshot of your MyGov account or another government account.

Please do not send us the original document. Please ensure the copy or image:

is clear and not blurry
captures all parts of the identification, including the reverse side
has the same name on the identification document and application form. If your name is different, you must provide evidence such as a change of name certificate.

If the applicant is under the age of 18, a copy of the child applicant’s identification and their parent or guardian’s identification must be provided with the application form.

If you’re unable to provide a copy of your government-issued identification, please contact Victims Services to discuss your options.

If you have authorised a representative who is a family member or friend, a copy of the family member or friend’s identification must also be provided with the application form.

Bank account details

If you’re applying for financial assistance or a recognition payment, you need to provide details of a bank account in your name or a parent, step-parent or guardian’s name if the victim is under 18 years of age.

If you would like victims support payments to be made to an account in another name, please contact Victims Services before submitting your application. We will need further documentation from you to accept your application.

A report that explains what happened and how the incident affected you

To apply for financial assistance for immediate needs, primary victims need to provide a report that explains what happened and how the incident affected them. This can be either:

a police report (You do not need to send us the police report if you reported the incident to NSW police. You can provide information about your report to NSW police in the application form.)

a report from a government organisation

a report from government-funded organisation

a medical, dental, or counselling report.

Learn more about the different types of reports you can provide and what they need to include on the Supporting documents for Victims Support Scheme applications page.

Copies of itemised tax invoices, receipts or treatment plans for expenses you are claiming

If you are claiming expenses you have incurred due to the crime, you need to provide:

copies of itemised tax invoices, receipts or treatment plans for the costs you are claiming
a description of how each cost relates directly to the incident, and
evidence of any Medicare or private health insurance rebates relating to the expenses you are claiming.

For more information about claiming expenses, see Supporting documents for Victims Support Scheme applications.

Evidence of money received from other sources

You need to provide documentary evidence of any money you have received from other sources related to the incident, including:

rebates
workers compensation
insurance
court claims.

What you need to apply if you are a family victim

If you are a family victim, see Support for family members of a homicide victim for information about the support available, what you need to apply and how to apply.

How to apply

To apply for financial assistance, visit Making an application for assistance through the Victims Support Scheme and follow the instructions to submit the relevant application with your supporting documents.

What happens next

Once you’ve submitted your application, you’ll receive a confirmation email or letter from Victims Services. We will assess your application based on the information you have provided and notify you of the outcome. If we need more information or documents, we will contact you.

Making claims for more expenses

You can submit claims for further costs you incur because of the violent crime or modern slavery:

for a period of 5 years after you lodge your financial assistance application, or
until the available funds are used.

If you are a family victim of homicide, visit Support for family members of a homicide victim through the Victims Support Scheme for more information about claiming more costs and travel expenses.

If you are a primary victim and the expenses directly relate to the act of violence or act of modern slavery described in your initial application form, you do not need to submit a new application for support. You can either:

download the Claim for expenses form and attach the supporting documents required in the form, or
send Victims Services an email or letter with the following information and supporting documents:
- your name
- Victims Services application reference number
- a list of the new expenses
- a description of how each cost was incurred as a direct result of the violent crime or modern slavery
- copies of itemised tax invoices, receipts or any other proof of expenditure
- evidence of any Medicare or private health insurance rebates relating to the expenses you are claiming.

If you want to make a claim for costs related to a new act of violence or act of modern slavery, you will need to complete a new application for support to apply for financial assistance.

Some people are not eligible for victims support

Some people are not eligible for support, even if they are a victim of crime.

For more information on persons who are not eligible, see section 25 of the Victims Rights and Support Act 2013.

When support may be declined or reduced

There are also circumstances where support may be declined or the amount reduced. For more information on those circumstances, see section 44 of the Victims Rights and Support Act 2013.

Factors for consideration under section 44 include, but are not limited to:

any behaviour on the part of the deceased which has directly or indirectly contributed to their death, including past criminal activity
any money the applicant has received from another source in relation to the violent crime, including under an insurance policy or other agreement.