Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment

Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment is a lump sum payment to help you during the time you can’t work and earn income because you have to:

self-isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19, as required by your state or territory government
you’re caring for someone who has to self-isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19, as required by their state or territory government.

You have to self-isolate or quarantine for one of the following reasons:

you have coronavirus (COVID-19)
you’re a close contact of a person who has COVID-19
a child you care for who is 16 years or under, is a close contact of a person who has COVID-19
you’re caring for someone who has COVID-19
you’re caring for someone with disability or a severe medical condition who must self-isolate or quarantine because they’re a close contact of a person with COVID-19.

You’re a close contact if you either:

usually live with the person who has tested positive with COVID-19
have stayed in the same household for more than 4 hours with the person who has tested positive with COVID-19 during their infectious period.

From 27 April 2022, you’re also a close contact if your state or territory government requires you to isolate as a close contact.

An infectious period may be up to 3 days before a person experiences symptoms of COVID-19.

You must also meet both of the following requirements to be eligible:

you’ve lost at least 8 hours or a full day’s work
you have liquid assets of less than $10,000 on the first day of the period you’re claiming for.

Liquid assets are any funds readily available to you in cash or savings, or assets that can easily be changed into cash. For example, money loaned to other people.

Watch this video about who can get Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment and how to claim.