Disaster payments for NSW floods extended to 14 additional LGAs

The Federal Government has announced that disaster payments have now been extended to cover a total of 37 flood-impacted local government areas in NSW.

Residents from the LGAs of Bayside, Dungog, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Singleton, Upper Lachlan, Cumberland, Mid Coast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Randwick and Warren will now also be eligible for disaster payments, in addition to the 23 LGAs announced last week.

Residents who have suffered significant loss as a result of the floods, including serious injury or a severely damaged or destroyed home, can apply for a one-off, non-means tested Disaster Recovery Payment. The payment amounts to $1000 for each adult and $400 for each child.

Employees or sole traders who are experiencing a loss of income as a result of the disaster can also apply for the Disaster Recovery Allowance, which provides fortnightly payments for a maximum of 13 weeks.

Affected residents are also entitled to disaster assistance, which includes:

• Individual assistance for immediate essential needs (e.g. food, clothing, temporary housing), essential household contents replacement and repair, and structural repairs or replacement
• Storm and flood clean-up assistance for households, businesses, primary producers and local councils
• Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, not-for-profit organisations and primary producers

Close to 528,000 NSW residents have received more than $436 million in disaster assistance thus far.

To apply for the Disaster Recovery Payment or Disaster Recovery Allowance, visit my.gov.au.

For more information on available disaster assistance for NSW residents, click here.