Financial assistance

Disaster relief payments

For payments available to eligible people in disaster declared areas, call Services Australia on 180 22 66 about:

• Disaster Recovery Payment – $1000 per adult and $400 per child for people severely affected by bushfires
• Disaster Recovery Allowance – short-term income assistance (up to 13 weeks) for people severely affected by bushfires
• Additional Child Care Subsidy Temporary Financial Hardship – if you're eligible for the Child Care Subsidy and have been severely impacted by bushfires
• Crisis Payment – a one-off payment for people in severe financial hardship who are not covered by other disaster relief offers.

Disaster relief grants

Grants are made available to eligible individuals and families whose homes and essential household contents have been damaged or destroyed in bushfires (declared natural disasters). 

Visit a Service NSW Centre or call 13 77 88 for NSW Government Disaster Relief Grants.

Financial and practical support

To find out about the financial and practical support being offered by both commercial and non-commercial NGOs, see Support from non-government organisations (NGOs).

For help, information and resources before, during and after an emergency or disaster, visit the Red Cross. 

The Salvation Army works with government agencies and community organisations to provide emotional support and referrals, and financial assistance to individuals and families including:

• Hardship recovery grant – if you are experiencing ongoing extreme hardship as a result of a bushfire disaster
• Loss of residence grant – if your primary place of residence (owned or leased) has been destroyed or rendered uninhabitable due to bushfires.

The grants are offered for declared natural disasters, limited to one grant per household, and available to eligible applicants over the age of 18, who:

• suffered loss from bushfires
• lived or worked in a bushfire affected area at the time of the fires.

To apply for a grant, or if you have further questions, call 1300 662 217 or email sal.disasters@salvationarmy.org.au.

If you're replacing or repairing buildings destroyed or damaged as a result of the 2019–20 NSW bushfires, you can apply for an exemption from the long service levy.

The exemption applies to the first $1,000,000 (inc GST) spent on repairing or rebuilding a damaged property or building.

For expenditure of $1,000,000 and above, you'll be required to pay a partial levy.

Applications must be lodged by 2 March 2023.

For more information visit Long Service Corporation.

You may be eligible for up to $55,000 from the NSW Government towards the stamp duty (transfer duty) on a replacement property if:

• you lost your home in the bushfires and
• you're intending to buy in another location rather than rebuild.

The stamp duty payable on a property priced at around $1.25 million is approximately $55,000. You must pay any additional stamp duty if the amount payable for the property you purchase is more than the maximum of $55,000 stamp duty relief available.

For more information visit NSW bushfire transfer duty relief scheme.

Call the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593 for:

• sporting club assistance – concessional loans for eligible sporting clubs
• church and non-profit organisation assistance – up to $15,000 recovery grants (33 LGAs) and concessional loans for eligible churches and non-profit organisations.
• the Natural Disaster Transport Subsidy which pays for the cost of transporting:
  • fodder and/or water to an affected property
  • stock to sale or slaughter
  • stock to/from agistment.

For more information see:

• Disaster relief loans 
• Grants and subsidies.

Banks offer help to customers affected by a natural disaster. This could include financial assistance packages, deferred loans, waived fees and grants.

If you are facing financial difficulty, contact your bank as soon as you can.

For a list of banks and contact details, visit the Australian Banking Association.

• MoneySmart – ASIC: Urgent help with money
• National Debt Helpline: Find a financial counsellor
• National Emergency Management Agency: Find a rural financial counselling service
• Services Australia: Financial Information Service

Indigenous Business Australia provides economic development opportunities to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through:

• loans and financial services
• business finance and partnerships.

Find out about assistance available:

• visit Indigenous Business Australia
• call Indigenous Business Australia on 1800 107 107.

Planning Reform Fund and BASIX Certificate fees will be waived on all development applications related to homes damaged or destroyed in the recent bushfires.

Fire-affected property owners can also arrange for a BASIX Certificate to be issued free of charge. 

For more information, visit the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.