The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment is a lump sum payment of:
- $1,000 for eligible adults
- $400 for each eligible child under the age of 16.
You can claim this payment if you’ve been seriously affected as a direct result of the floods. For example:
- your home has been severely damaged or destroyed
- you’ve been seriously injured.
You can claim Disaster Recovery Allowance for up to 13 weeks, starting from the date you lost income.
You’ll get the maximum equivalent rate of JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance, depending on your personal circumstances.
You can’t get the allowance if you get any of the following payments during your claim period:
- an income support payment or pension
- Parental Leave Pay
- Dad and Partner Pay
- ABSTUDY Living Allowance
- Farm Household Allowance
- a Service Pension from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- NEIS Allowance.
To be eligible, you need to meet the Local Government Area criteria and other rules. Check natural disaster events for more information.
If you have a partner, you can both get a payment. You’ll need to make separate claims.
Centrelink debt
We’re pausing Centrelink debt raising and new debt recovery in the affected locations in Queensland and NSW.
If you owe money, you don’t need to repay anything until August 2022, unless you choose to.
If you’re already making repayments for an existing debt, you can update or stop your payment arrangement.
You can do this using the Money you owe service either through:
- your Centrelink online account through myGov
- the Express Plus Centrelink app.
You can also contact us if you’re experiencing financial hardship or have any questions about your debt.
Read more about additional help available if you’re affected by a natural disaster.
If you’re going through a difficult time, our social workers can help.
Use our Payment and Service Finder to see what other payments you may be eligible for.
If you’re a job seeker or participant, you can contact your provider for more information about your requirements.