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Flood-impacted residents across the state can now access up to $18,000 worth of rental support.
The one-off lump-sum payments form part of the state government’s temporary housing support package, worth $285 million.
The measures were first announced by Service NSW in the middle of March.
Paul Toole, acting Premier and Minister for Regional NSW, said, “this is an incredibly distressing time for many people and we are committed to ensuring flood victims have access to safe, secure and affordable short-term rental arrangements while their homes are rebuilt”.
The rental support provides for up to 16 weeks’ rental support, with the payment dependent on the number of people in the household, including children.
The flood recovery rental support payment is only available to individuals and families who live in or own a property that is considered uninhabitable due to being directly impacted by the flood in the high-impacted suburbs.
With more than 4,000 homes having been assessed as uninhabitable, Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Victor Dominello said that “customers can apply on the Service NSW website or via the app, with support also available on 13 77 88.”
Mr Toole said the payments “will help ease some of the burden as they transition from emergency or short-term accommodation”.
He explained: “Only one family member or housemate needs to submit an application on behalf of the household, with payments ranging from $6,000 to $18,000 depending on the number of residents in the home.”
According to the Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke, more than 9,526 people have already registered interest in receiving rental support payments.
“Providing rental relief is a critical step in moving people from emergency to short-term rental arrangements, so that individuals and families across flood-affected communities have certainty about where they will be staying in the weeks and months ahead,” she said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Grace Ormsby
Grace is a journalist across Momentum property and investment brands. Grace joined Momentum Media in 2018, bringing with her a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) from the University of Newcastle. She’s passionate about delivering easy to digest information and content relevant to her key audiences and stakeholders.
