Financial help available for people impacted by the Victorian floods and Bogong landslip

If you've been affected by the Victorian floods, you might be eligible for disaster recovery payments.

Visit the list of natural disaster declarations to determine if you’re in an eligible local government area (LGA).

For individuals

Emergency Relief Payment

Emergency relief payments are no longer available for this event.

Emergency relief payments are provided to help meet immediate needs, including:

• emergency food
• shelter
• clothing
• medication, and
• accommodation.

If you have been impacted by an emergency or natural disaster, you have urgent relief needs and you need to apply for an emergency relief payment, you can:

• call VicEmergency on 1800 226 226
• check your local council website for details of nearby relief or recovery centres.

Visit the DFFH Personal Hardship Assistance Program webpage for more information on emergency relief payments.

Re-establishment assistance

Call the Flood Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760 if you need recovery support (press 9 for an interpreter).

For more information on the Personal Hardship Assistance Program, visit the DFFH Personal Hardship Assistance Program webpage.

Australian Government Disaster Recovery Allowance

The claiming period for this payment closed on 28 May 2023.

Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment

The claiming period for this payment closed on 16 June 2023.

For students

If you're experiencing ongoing financial hardship, you should contact your child's school to talk about cost-support options. This includes the option of getting help through State Schools’ Relief.

State Schools’ Relief can support with the cost of essential school supplies, including:

• uniforms
• footwear
• stationary packs
• digital items such as internet USB dongles and headphones.

If you are a parent or carer and you need financial help with the above items, please request an appointment with your school principal, assistant principal, or welfare/wellbeing coordinator to discuss your needs.

Schools can apply directly, via the SSR online portal, whenever they believe there is a need to support a student whose family or carers are facing difficulty in providing the appropriate uniform, footwear, or educational items for attending school.

Find out more on the Support for students and their families affected by the floods page.

For farmers and primary producers

Financial help is available for flood and landslip-affected farmers and primary producers, which includes:

• Primary Producer Recovery Grants: Up to $75,000 grants to cover the cost of recovery and get businesses up and running again
• Rural Landholder Grants: Up to $25,000 grants to cover the costs of disaster impacts for small-scale producers
• Primary Producer Concessional Loans: Up to $250,000 to restore or replace damaged equipment and infrastructure, or to cover the short-term business expenses
• Primary Producer Transport Subsidies: Up to $15,000 to support the transport of emergency fodder or stock drinking water, and the movement of livestock

For more information, visit the Victorian Primary Producer Flood Recovery Package

For businesses

Business groups that represent Victorian businesses in flood-affected areas can apply for financial help by visiting Business Groups Flood Recovery Grants

To apply for the Flood Recovery Grant, applicants must:

• represent a membership of Victorian businesses located in local government areas deemed eligible for assistance under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangement
• be based in Victoria or be the Victorian chapter of a national organisation
• be a not-for-profit member organisation with the core purpose of acting for its members
• hold a current Australian Business Number (ABN)
• be registered with the responsible federal or state regulator.

The purpose of this program is to reactivate the small business sector in local government areas affected by the Victorian floods.

Free and confidential one-on-one support to flood and landslip-affected business owners from a local business relief adviser via telephone and on the ground is available by visiting the Business Relief Service