Department of Human Services
Emergency Grants
Emergency Grants provide
assistance to meet immediate basic
needs only and are designed to
cover expenses such as clothing,
food, personal items, appropriate
shelter and specific one-off
transport costs.
They are available to people
who have had their principal
place of residence affected by an
emergency, either through damages
or loss of property.
Principal Place of
Residence
A principal place of residence is
the address at which household
residents were living at the time of
the emergency event. It is usually
the residence where all essential
living and household items are
maintained, where private mail is
delivered, and driver’s licence and
electoral registration are recorded.
Eligibility
Emergency Grants are discretionary
payments, and although they are
not income tested, they are based
on the needs of the applicant which
must be demonstrated through an
assessment process. They are also
intended for incidents of a particular
nature.
Needs eligible for Emergency Grants
include:
Temporary accommodation
Food
Clothing
Items necessary for health and
hygiene
Essential personal items
Repair to structure or essential
items (refrigerator, clothing,
bedding etc).
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Incidents eligible for Emergency
Grants can include:
Bushfires
Single household fires
Floods
Severe windstorms
Earthquakes
Grant Entitlements
The amount of each Emergency
Grant is based on need. The
maximum household entitlement
is $1067. This is calculated at a
maximum of $427 per adult and
$213 per child. These amounts
were revised in July 2007.
Payments are made by cheque.
Applying for a Grant
To apply for a grant, you must
undertake an assessment interview
with an assessment officer from the
Department of Human Services.
You will need to provide forms of
identification that identify you and
your place of residence. Any of the
following forms of identification are
acceptable:
Driver’s Licence
Medicare card
Passport
Rate notice
Bank account s