Recovery Support
After an emergency it can be difficult to know what to do next. We can help you with things like:
- Insurance claims and legal matters
- Financial support
- Your mental health and wellbeing
- Finding local services in your area
or call the Emergency Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760.
You can also use any of the supports on the recovery services page.
Recovery services, wellbeing and support
Find out more about the support, advice and counselling available as you and your family recover from storms, bushfires or floods.
Damage to your home
We can assess your home for damage if it:
- was damaged by the 2023-24 Victorian storms and floods, and
- is not covered by insurance.
This is called an ‘all-hazards assessment’. If the assessment finds hazards, we might be able to remove them for free. This means that you could safely start any repairs you might need.
Financial help
Financial counselling
Recovering from an emergency event will take time. There are a lot of financial decisions to think about now and into the future.
A financial counsellor can help you plan to manage your money and prioritise your bills and other payments. They can also talk to creditors for you and negotiate affordable payment plans.
Call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 to speak to a financial advisor.
You could also call the:
- Mob Strong Debt Helpline for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples - 1800 808 488
- Small Business Debt Helpline - 1800 413 828
- Rural Financial Counselling Service for primary producers and small, related rural businesses – 1300 771 741
Emergency re-establishment assistance
Emergency re-establishment assistance is available if your home has been damaged by the floods and storms and you:
- do not earn much money
- do not have building or contents insurance
- cannot return home because your home is damaged or destroyed
- cannot return to your home for more than 7 days.
How to apply
For information about how to apply for this payment, call the Emergency Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760 (press 9 for an interpreter).
Donate
If you would like to support those affected by the Victorian storms and floods, you can donate through the not-for-profit donation service GIVIT.
Councils eligible for support
You may be eligible for support if you live in one of these councils, and you were impacted by the storms or floods between December 2023 and January 2024.
If you are not sure which council area you are in, visit the Know your council page.
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