There’s help at hand for people directly affected by the recent bushfires in Western Australia.
The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment is a lump sum payment of $1,000 for eligible adults and $400 for each eligible child under the age of 16.
“You can get it if your home has been severely damaged or destroyed or if you’ve been seriously injured as a direct result of the fires,” Services Australia said in a statement online.
You can also claim Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) if you’ve lost income as a direct result of the fires. If you’re eligible you can get it for up to 13 weeks, starting from the date you lose income.
“DRA is taxable. You can ask us to withhold tax deductions from your payments,” it said.
You’ll need to claim on or before 2 August 2021 for the following local government areas:
- City of Swan
- Shire of Mundaring.
“If you’re already getting a payment from us other than Family Tax Benefit, you may not be eligible to claim.”
If you have mutual obligation or participation requirements
Your mutual obligation or participation requirements are temporarily paused from Tuesday 9 February to Tuesday 2 March 2021.
This applies if you live in one of the following local government areas:
- City of Swan
- Shire of Mundaring
- Shire of Chittering
- City of Northam.
These arrangements apply if you’re in one of the following:
- jobactive
- Online Employment Services
- Disability Employment Services
- ParentsNext as a compulsory participant.
If you don’t meet your requirements during this period, no suspensions or penalties will apply, Services Australia said.
Next steps
Read more about Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment and the Disaster Recovery Allowance, including how to claim and access Services Australia services.
Use the Payment and Service Finder to see what 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.
