Fact Sheet: Temporary living expenses grant and re-establishment grant

The Department of Human Services administers a number of Personal Hardship Grants to people affected by an emergency. The following grants are only available once authorised by the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. They aim to assist affected people to recover from an emergency and are not intended to compensate for losses or replace insurance.

Temporary Living Expenses Grants

Temporary Living Expenses Grants assist households with the cost of temporary accommodation and living expenses when a principal place of residence is unfit to live in or inaccessible for more then one week.

Temporary Living Expenses Grants may assist with needs such as:

• Temporary accommodation
• Food
• Clothing
• Items necessary for health and hygiene
• Essential personal and household items
• Reconnection of essential services

Re-establishment Grants

Re-establishment Grants assist with the reestablishment of a household’s principal place of residence.

Re-establishment Grants may assist with:

• Repair of structural damage to the principal place of residence
• Replacement or repair of essential household contents

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

Temporary Living Expenses and Re-establishment Grants are subject to an income test. Affected households where weekly income does not exceed the upper income threshold are eligible to apply. These grants are also based on a needs assessment and are intended for specific incidents including:

• Bushfires
• Floods
• Severe windstorms
• Earthquakes

Applications must be made within six months after the event (unless special circumstances apply).

Grant Entitlements

The amount of each Grant is determined through an interview that is based on a needs assessment and income test. Depending on the size of a household, a Temporary Living Expense Grant may be available up to a maximum of $865 per week, for a total of up to $8,650. These amounts were revised in July 2007.

The Re-establishment Grant has two components. A maximum of up to $8,650 may be available for repairs to structural damage to a residence and up to $8,650 may be available to replace essential household contents such as furnishings and electrical goods.

Applying for a Grant

To apply for a grant, you must be interviewed by 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. As these grants are income tested, your income must be verified by wage slips, bank accounts or tax statements.

Other Information

You may be required to repay a grant if:

• You are subsequently found not to have incurred the expenses for which the grant was approved or;
• You subsequently receive assistance, insurance payment or compensation related to expenses for which a grant was paid.

You will be required to sign a statutory declaration form stating that you have incurred needs due to an emergency and that the details you have provided are correct.

Further Information

For more information about Personal Hardship Grants please contact your appropriate Department of Human Services office:

Metropolitan

Eastern Region 9843 6000

North & West Region 1300 664 977

Southern Region 9213 2111

Country

Barwon-South West 5226 4540

Gippsland 5177 2500

Grampians 5333 6669

Hume 5722 0555

Loddon-Mallee 5434 5555