New changes to Victoria's Personal Hardship Assistance Program
Minister for Mental Health, Women’s Affairs and Community Services Mary Wooldridge recently announced a simpler, easier process for Victorians, experiencing genuine financial hardship after a major emergency, to receive government financial assistance.
‘We’ve streamlined the application process to receive Emergency Re-establishment Assistance by introducing a new income test that provides an upfront advance payment of $3,000 for people on a limited income’, Ms Wooldridge said.
The changes to Victoria’s Personal Hardship Assistance Program came into effect on 1 December and include:
- a one-off increase to the levels of all funds, to better reflect current consumer prices
- a linking of payments to the Melbourne Consumer Price Index, and a commitment to review these payments annually – to ensure they keep pace with inflation
- a one-off Emergency Relief Assistance payment to emergency-affected Victorians in need, regardless of income – fixed at a maximum of $1200 per household
- a new process for paying Emergency Re-establishment Assistance, based on an improved income test for applicants.
'These improvements mean every Victorian eligible for emergency financial assistance will actually be better off than under the previous system. This is a great example of the Victorian Government helping to build more resilient communities by offering a simpler and easier financial support process for those in genuine need in the wake of a major emergency’, Ms Wooldridge concluded.
For more information, see the Personal Hardship Assistance Program page
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