Over the last week, Victorians have been experiencing some of the toughest weather conditions we have seen since last year’s bushfires.
The Andrews Labor Government and the Commonwealth Government have announced that we will now activate our Emergency Re-establishment Assistance for Households Affected by the June 2021 Severe Weather Event.
Under these payments, eligible recipients will receive a maximum of $42,250 per household to re-establish their homes as quickly as possible.
This assistance can be used to pay for:
- Alternative accommodation;
- Removal of debris;
- Home repairs;
- Reconnection of essential services; and
- Rebuilding and replacement of essential household contents.
This is on top of our existing Personal Hardship Assistance Program. Payments of up to almost $2,000 per eligible family, including $560 per adult and $280 per child, are available through a one-off payment to help meet immediate needs including food, shelter, clothing, and medication.
Who is eligible for the Emergency Re-Establishment payments?
To be eligible for emergency re-establishment assistance, your home must be uninhabitable or inaccessible for more than seven days because of a natural disaster.
There are also income tests that apply to determine whether you have the financial capacity to re-establish, and your loss or damage must not be covered by insurance.
At this stage, the following councils are eligible based on our early assessments of the damage:
- Latrobe City Council
- Maroondah City Council
- City of Casey
- Mornington Peninsula Shire
- Yarra Ranges Council
Of course, if more households are identified as impacted and uninhabitable, the payments will be open to other homes as is appropriate.
Where can people access this support?
These payments are made available to people who need to re-establish their homes as quickly as possible after a natural disaster and have limited financial means to meet that challenge or are uninsured or under insured.
If this is you, please reach out for assistance at your local relief centre and they will be able to assist you, or you can:
- Email – [email protected]
- Visit: http://emergency.vic.gov.au/relief/#relief_and_recovery_information
Emergency Management Victoria is also continually assessing the impacts of the severe weather and will make referrals as needed.
The Andrews Labor Government stands with the communities impacted by this week’s disastrous weather and will help wherever and whenever we can.
