Immediate Needs Support Package through the Victims Support Scheme

The Victims Support Scheme provides support packages to primary victims of domestic violence to help pay for urgent relocation and security costs.

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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).

What support is available

The Victims Support Scheme offers the Immediate Needs Support Package (INSP) to primary victims of domestic violence in NSW who:

  • have been physically or psychologically injured as a direct result of an act of domestic violence (primary victim), and
  • need to urgently relocate as a direct result of the violent crime and/or install security at your home.

Support packages available include:

  • rent assistance
  • household items, such as furniture, bedding, kitchenware and linen
  • clothing and toiletries
  • whitegoods and appliances
  • change of locks
  • security cameras
  • security windows or doors
  • alarm system
  • storage
  • removalist.

The packages you are eligible for will depend on your individual circumstances and the needs you have as a direct result of the violent crime. Packages have pre-set financial limits and can be combined up to a maximum of $5,000.

If you have already paid for relocation or security, you can apply for financial assistance for immediate needs and be reimbursed up to $5,000 for those costs. To learn more about this support type, visit Financial assistance for immediate needs through the Victims Support Scheme.

The maximum amount that you can claim for financial assistance for immediate needs, including the Immediate Needs Support Package, is $5,000.

Who can make a claim

Primary victims of domestic violence.

To be eligible for the Immediate Needs Support Package, the domestic violence injury must have been committed by someone who either:

  • is or was your spouse or de facto spouse
  • is or was in an intimate personal relationship with you
  • lived with you at the time of the violent crime
  • is or was your parent, step-parent, guardian, child, step-child, sibling, half-sibling or step-sibling
  • was your ongoing paid or unpaid carer at the time of the violent crime.

For more information about primary victims, see Victims Support Scheme eligibility requirements.

How long you have to make a claim

You need to make a claim within 2 years of the domestic violence offence. At the time of claiming, the evidence must show that you have an urgent need for the packages claimed as a direct result of the violent crime.

What you need to make a claim

To claim an Immediate Needs Support Package you need to submit:

  • an Application for Support form to apply for financial assistance
  • a Claim for Immediate Needs Support Package
  • the following information and supporting documents:
    • 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.  
    • documentary evidence of the support you have received from other service providers because of the domestic violence, if applicable.
    • a rental tenancy agreement for your new property if you have relocated to new rental accommodation.

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 a government-funded organisation  
  • a medical, dental, or counselling report.  

Learn 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. 

Evidence of other support you have received

If you have received support from other services because of the domestic violence, you need to provide evidence of the support you have received. This includes:

  • rent assistance received from Centrelink, Start Safely or other service
  • the Leaving Violence Program
  • support from Staying Home Leaving Violence.
Rental tenancy agreement

If you have moved or intend to move to new rental accommodation, you need to provide a rental tenancy agreement for your new property. 

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.

How to make a claim

To claim an Immediate Needs Support Package:

  1. download and complete the Claim for Immediate Needs Support Package
  2. complete an Application for support form to apply for financial assistance by either:
    • applying online and uploading your supporting documents and Claim for Immediate Needs Support Package, or
    • downloading the Application for support form and submitting your completed form,supporting documents and Claim for Immediate Needs Support Package to Victims Services by email or post.

If you have already lodged an Application for Support relating to the same domestic violence incident(s), you can send Victims Services an email or letter with:

If your claim for an Immediate Needs Support Package is approved

If your claim for an Immediate Needs Support Package is approved, you must:

  • use the money for the approved purpose
  • keep receipts, itemised tax invoices or other evidence, such as a tenancy agreement, rental ledger or bank statement, for a period of 5 years as evidence of how you used the approved funds
  • contact Victims Services immediately if your circumstances change after you receive the package and you will no longer use the funds for their agreed purpose.

Making further claims after your claim is approved

If you have previously been approved for the Immediate Needs Support Package and want to claim again, you will need to provide evidence of how you spent the package that was previously approved, such as:

  • receipts
  • itemised tax invoices
  • a rental tenancy agreement
  • rental ledger
  • bank statements.

You need to provide this evidence at the time of making your Immediate Needs Support Package claim. 

We're here to help

The Victims Support Scheme is administered by the Commissioner of Victims Rights. Victims Services, part of the Department of Communities and Justice, assists the Commissioner to administer the Scheme. 

We understand that violent crime, modern slavery and road crime can affect people in different ways.

If you have any questions about victims support or making an application, Victims Services is here to help.

Contact Victims Services

Call (Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm)

For the National Relay Service, call 13 36 77 (TTY) or 1300 555 727 (Speak and Listen).

For interpreter support, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 13 14 50.

Email

vs@dcj.nsw.gov.au

Post

Commissioner of Victims Rights
Victims Services
Department of Communities and Justice
Locked Bag 5118
PARRAMATTA NSW 2124

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