Financial Support Available for those impacted by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred

The NSW Government is offering some financial assistance for people affected by the weather events over the weekend. We have compiled some information on the ones that might apply to you and your family, make sure to read through the eligibility criteria and see if your area and circumstances apply.

If you are experiencing damage to your rental property as a result of a disaster, read through our Disaster Damage Factsheet.

What financial assistance might be helpful for renters? 

Personal Hardship Assistance Grant

$180 for individuals (up to $900 per family) will be available from Service NSW for essential costs.

To be eligible, you must:

• have been subject to an evacuation order (Category red emergency warning related to AGRN 1198), or
• have experienced a power outage of more than 48 hours.

Applications will open on 12 March 2025 and close on 8 April 2025. 

Essential Household Goods Grant

There are two types of Essential Household Goods Grants to support eligible applicants who are impacted by a natural disaster.  

     1. Essential household goods:  

Under the Household Goods Grant, a maximum of $18,000 is available as a contribution toward the cost of re-establishing essential household items considered necessary to maintain a basic standard of living. Items include bedding, furniture, clothing and essential electrical items such as a refrigerator, washing machine, or stove. The HHG grant assists low-income residents who have no other means of purchasing or repairing these essential household items and are not covered by insurance. For more information on this you can access the FAQ document, which includes a list of items and nominal costing associated with each item.  

(Any household goods provided by the landlord as part of the tenancy (e.g a stove/oven, hot water heater) unfortunately cannot be claimed and the landlord will be responsible for replacing these items.)

    2. Rough Sleepers/Camping Package:  

Rough sleepers can apply for a small grant that is contribution to replacing essential items, such as a tent and sleeping bag. A flat rate of $1,200 is available plus $150 for each additional resident.  

Find out more and apply here. 

If you are experiencing other Financial Hardship:

If you have lost income as a direct result of this disaster you may be eligible for the Disaster Recovery Allowance. If you’re eligible, you’ll get the maximum equivalent rate of JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance, depending on your personal circumstances. Make sure you're eligible and see steps to claim here. 

If you’re in temporary financial hardship and need extra help with the cost of child care, you may be eligible for Additional Child Care Subsidy.

Crisis Payment for Other Extreme Circumstances may help if you’ve had to change where you live due to an unforeseen extreme circumstance. This includes flood, fire or community violence.

Several banks have also announced support for affected customers, including payment deferrals, and waiving fees and charges - check to see if your bank is included.

A reminder as communities recover from Cyclone Alfred, safety remains the number one priority.

• Never drive, walk, ride through, play or swim in flood water - it is dangerous, toxic, and may void your car insurance. If it's flooded, forget it. Fines may apply.
• Obey all signs about road closures and instructions from emergency services.
• Check Live Traffic NSW to plan ahead and see what hazards are on your route on NSW roads.
• Avoid storm drains and pipes, ditches, ravines, creeks, and rivers.
• Download the Hazards Near Me App to stay across the latest warnings and information for impacted communities.
• Call the NSW SES on 132 500 if you need assistance during a flood or storm.
• In a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000).
• For more information visit www.ses.nsw.gov.au

Tropical Cyclone Alfred Recovery Updates