As the recovery continues from Tropical Cyclone Alfred, there are a number of financial options available to help individuals and businesses get back on their feet.

It is certainly not an easy task to easily find, follow and understand what is available. The Lismore App has done its best to help by putting it in one place.

One of the criteria for most financial aid is that you must reside or have a business in one of the following 17 Local Government Areas: 

Armidale, Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Glen Innes Severn, Kempsey, Kyogle, Lismore, Mid-Coast, Nambucca, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Richmond, Tenterfield and Tweed as well as the locality of Lord Howe Island, including any islands within a 3 nautical mile radius.

That can reduce in size, but is noted.

Personal Hardship Assistance Payment - NSW Government

A one-off payment of $180 for eligible individuals and $180 per eligible dependent (up to a maximum of 4 dependents)and up to $900 per family is available from Service NSW for essential costs such as food, clothing, medicine and emergency accommodation.

To be eligible for this payment, individuals must reside in one of the declared affected Local Government Areas and as a result of the disaster event:

• experienced a power outage of 48 hours or more or
• been subject to evacuation orders (Category red emergency warning).

Applications are now open and will close on 8 April 2025. More information is available on the Service NSW website.

DISASTER RELIEF GRANTS - NSW Government

The purpose of the DRG Program is to support those most in need and those least able to return their homes to a safe and habitable condition after a natural disaster such as low-income earners and where the damage is not covered by insurance, subject to eligibility requirements. In doing so, it seeks to alleviate personal hardship and distress arising as a result of natural disasters in NSW. 

Who can apply?

Criteria 1 Income: You must be a low-income earner

Criteria 2 Insurance: You're unable to claim costs under an insurance policy or you are uninsured.

Criteria 3 Principal Place of Residence: The damaged property is your principal place of residence

Criteria 4 Cause of Damage: The damage was caused by a declared natural disaster 

Criteria 5 Within Scope: It has been less than 6 months since the disaster, and that the grant provided allows for the safe and habitable return of a resident to their home 

Criteria 6 Realisable Assets: That you do not have any assets that could be used to support you post disaster. 

Who can’t apply?

You cannot apply if: 

• you're able to claim under insurance
• the damaged home is an investment property that you do not live in
• lack of maintenance has caused the damage
• the damage is minor and repairs are not essential to live in the property. 

Essential Household Goods (HHG) Grant

There are two types of Essential Household Good Grants to support eligible applicant who are impacted by a natural disaster. 

1. Essential household goods: Under the Household Goods Grant, a maximum of $18,000 is available as a contribution toward the cost of re-establishing essential household items considered necessary to maintain a basic standard of living. Items include bedding, furniture, clothing and essential electrical items such as a refrigerator, washing machine, or stove. The HHG grant assists low-income residents who have no other means of purchasing or repairing these essential household items and are not covered by insurance. For more information on this you can access the FAQ document, which includes a list of items and nominal costing associated with each item.
2. Rough Sleepers/Camping Package: Rough sleepers can apply for a small grant that is contribution to replacing essential items, such as a tent and sleeping bag. A flat rate of $1,200 is available plus $150 for each additional resident. 

STRUCTURAL GRANTS

Structural Grants provide a contribution toward essential structural works for households unable to meet the cost of repairs and may also assist in relocation-related costs. These grants assist low-income homeowners who have no other means of restoring their homes to a safe and habitable condition. 

There are 4 types of Structural Grants available (depending on the type of damage suffered by the eligible applicant): 

1. Repair Grant: A contribution towards essential structural repairs to a Residence (including a relocatable home) to assist in restoring it to a safe and habitable condition – grant amount is determined based on assessment of scope of works and threshold considerations. 
2. Rebuild Grant: A contribution towards the rebuild of a residence (including a relocatable home) to a basic level that has been rendered uninhabitable – grant amount is determined based on assessment of scope of works and threshold considerations.
3. Temporary Dwelling Grants: a Flat-rate Temporary Dwelling Package – flat rate of $5,000 for repairs and $10,000 if the temporary dwelling has been rendered uninhabitable.  
4. Access Grant: A contribution of up to $50,000 towards a basic level of repairs to legal accessways on private property where there are no safe alternate routes to the residence or temporary dwelling (and where the Accessway was maintained and fit for purpose prior to the natural disaster). 

If you meet the above criteria, further information, including what documents you need to provide, by clicking here.

AUSTRALIAN DISASTER RECOVERY PAYMENT - Australian Government

If you are eligible, you'll get a $1,000 grant per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child. This grant is being activated for impacted LGAs. They are: Ballina Local Government Area (LGA), Byron LGA, Lillian Rock in Kyogle LGA, Lismore LGA, Tweed LGA, Yamba in Clarence Valley LGA.

You have until 11 September 2025 to make a claim for the following areas:

To find out how to make a claim, click here.

AUSTRALIAN RECOVERY ALLOWANCE - Australian Government

This is a short-term payment you can get for a maximum of 13 weeks. This will be paid from the day you started to lose income.

You cannot receive this payment if you are already receiving: Age Pension, Austudy, Carer Payment, Disability Support Pension, JobSeeker Payment, Prenting Payment, Special Benefit, Youth Allowance, a Service Pension, Income Support Supplement or veteran payment from the Department of Veteran's Affairs, ABSTUDY Living Allowance, Farm Household Allowance, Parental Leave Pay and Self-Employment Allowance.

If you’re eligible, you’ll get the maximum equivalent rate of JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance, depending on your personal circumstances.

The government will reduce your payment to zero if your income is more than the average weekly income amount of $1,924.60 before tax.

Disaster Recovery Allowance is a taxable payment and needs to be included in your tax return.

Click here to learn how to make a claim.

BUSINESS AND PRIMARY PRODUCERS - NSW Government

NATURAL DISASTER RELIEF LOANS for SMALL BUSINESS

Small business operators directly affected by a declared natural disaster may be eligible for a low interest loan of up to $130,000 to support recovery.

The concessional loans have a two-year interest and repayment free period and may be used for essential working capital for up to 12 months from the date of the disaster, to continue trading until normal income resumes and for replacements and repairs to damages caused to the small business as a result of the natural disaster.

Check out the program guidelines or if you are ready to apply, click here.

NATURAL DISASTER RELIEF LOANS for PRIMARY PRODUCERS

Primary producers directly affected by a declared natural disaster may be eligible for a low interest loan of up to $130,000 to support recovery.

The concessional loans have a two-year interest and repayment free period and may be used for essential working capital for up to 12 months from the date of the disaster, to continue farming operations until normal income resumes and for the replacement and repair of property damaged as a result of the natural disaster.

Check out the program guidelines or if you are ready to apply, click here.

NATURAL DISASTER TRANSPORT SUBSIDY

The Natural Disaster Transport Subsidy is available to eligible primary producers for the transport of fodder and/or water to a property, stock to/from agistment, stock to sale or slaughter, or bee or oyster movements following a declared natural disaster.

An eligible primary producer or primary production enterprise can claim a maximum subsidy of $15,000 (GST-exclusive) in one financial year, regardless of how many parcels of land or aquaculture leases for oysters they operate and whether the declared natural disaster spans one or two financial years.

The subsidy will be paid for road transport (for fodder, water, stock and bees) or water-based movements using a vessel (for oysters) at a rate of 50% of the total amount (GST-exclusive) paid to the carrier or specified costs for an owner-driver. A maximum distance of 1500 km applies for road transport. 

Check out the program guidelines or if you are ready to apply, click here.

NATURAL DISASTER RELIEF LOANS for NON-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS

Natural Disaster Relief Loans assist voluntary non-profit organisations directly affected by a declared natural disaster including flood, fire or storm damage.

The concessional loans are available for the restoration of essential facilities that have been damaged or destroyed by a natural disaster and may also be directed towards temporary storage or leasing of alternate premises.

Eligible non-proft organisations impacted by the declared natural disaster can apply to borrow a maximum amount of $25,000. All loans have a term of up to 5 years, depending on the amount borrowed and your repayment capacity. 

Check out the program guidelines or if you are ready to apply, click here.

SPORTING and RECREATIONAL CLUBS:

Concessional loans up to $10,000 and a Grant up to $2,000

No links can be found.

After reading the list of Disaster Relief Payments, Allowance, Grants and Loans, and you are still confused (I don't blame you), there are Recovery Assistance Points with staff from Service NSW and other government agencies who can help explain each in more detail and help you through the application process. They are at:

• Tweed Heads – Tweed Heads South Community Hall Cnr Heffron St and Minjungbal Dr, South Tweed Heads, open 9am - 5pm

• Lismore – Southern Cross University, Military Road, East Lismore Room V1.19, open 9am - 5pm (For SCU, it is at the Visual Arts building after the stop sign off University Loop if you come down from the Ballina Road/Rotary Drive roundabout or if you travel up Rifle Range Road, it is on your left after you turn left at T junction.

• Coffs Harbour – C.ex Coffs 2-6 Vernon Street, Coffs Harbour, open 10am - 6pm 

• Ballina - Ballina Surf Club Lighthouse Beach Parade, East Ballina, open 9am – 5pm 

There are mobile venues in the following villages:

14 March 2025

• Coraki - Mid Richmond Neighbourhood Centre, Shop 1 - 121 Richmond Terrace, Coraki, from 11:00am to 1:00pm
• Nana Glen - Nana Glen Community Hall, 26 Grafton St, Nana Glen, from 11:00am to 1:00pm
• Murwillumbah - Murwillumbah Civic Centre Auditorium, 10-14 Tumbulgum Rd, Murwillumbah, from 11.00am to 1.00pm
• Woodburn - Mid Richmond Neighbourhood Centre, 123-125 River St, Woodburn, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm
• Byron Bay - Marvell Hall, 37 Marvell St, Byron Bay, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm

15 March 2025

• Wardell - Pod Village, Bath Street, Wardell Recreation Ground, from 11:00am to 2:00pm