Personal Hardship Assistance Program

The Department of Human Services (DHS) administers the Victorian Government’s Personal Hardship Assistance Program (PHAP), which includes two categories of assistance:

Emergency Relief Assistance
Emergency Re-establishment Assistance

The PHA program provides financial assistance to alleviate the personal hardship and distress suffered by eligible Victorians, as a result of an emergency.

This assistance is not intended to replace insurance or other compensation for loss.

Emergency Relief Assistance

Emergency Relief Assistance is intended to cover a range of expenses incurred in the immediate aftermath of an emergency, such as food, clothing, medications, accommodation and one off transport costs.

Emergency Re-establishment Assistance

In some situations, the Victorian Government may also initiate Emergency Re-establishment Assistance.

This assistance helps Victorians re-establish themselves back in their own homes as quickly as possible by providing income-tested financial assistance for alternative accommodation, repairs, rebuilding and replacement of essential household contents.

Other forms of assistance

In some circumstances, the Victorian Government may offer other personal hardship assistance.
So applicants may be asked for permission to have their contact details forwarded to other organisations that may provide extra assistance.

Further information

For more information about the Personal Hardship Assistance Program, please contact your local council in the first instance who will refer your case to a Department of Human Services officer for an assessment interview.