Emergency Financial Support
There is a range of financial assistance available to individuals, families and businesses who are recovering from/experiencing the devastation of the 2022 floods in the Forbes local government area (LGA).
If you are experiencing hardship due to recent flooding events, you are encouraged to reach out to your financial institution, phone and energy providers to enquire about financial assistance and support packages available to you.
Please note - Council has made every effort to find as many as possible and will continue to add to this page. Residents should consider their individual circumstances and provide accurate information when making any applications for assistance.
Lions Club of Forbes and District - Financial Assistance
Lions Club of Forbes and District can assist with payments of up to $1,000.00 for whitegoods and household furniture (to Forbes or Parkes stores), or a reimbursement on the production of a reciept.
For more information, please contact Peter Bright (President) on forbes.nsw@lions.org.au or 0419 463 803.
NSW Recovery Authority - Pods on Private Property
The Pods on Private Property Program will provide temporary housing support to eligible residents who have had their homes severely impacted by the 2022 floods. Pods will be provided by the NSW Government at no cost. Properties will be assessed according to multiple eligibility criteria.
Applications are now open. If you are interested in applying for the program, contact housingtaskforce@reconstruction.nsw.gov.au.
For more information, please click here.
NSW Recovery Authority - At Home Caravan Program
At-home caravans are available to residents who are unable to live in their homes due to flood damage. Residents who lived in the area before the November 2022 flood are eligible for the program.The caravans are located on the resident’s private property, or can be located on a rental property with permission from the landlord. They can also be located on someone else’s private property (family and friends) with their permission. Properties are assessed to make sure they can safely accommodate a caravan.The caravans are provided at no cost under a hire agreement. You'll still need to pay your regular bills like water, electricity and sewage.
Residents can email caravans@resilience.nsw.gov.au for application forms and more information.
For more information, please click here.
Service NSW - Disaster Relief Grants, Rental Assistance and Replacing Essential Documents
Residents can access the Service NSW Disaster Assistance Finder or contact Service NSW on 13 77 88 to find out what support may be available to them.
Service NSW Disaster Relief for Individuals
If your home or essential household contents were damaged or destroyed by natural disaster, you may be eligible for the Disaster Relief Grant for Individuals.
The financial assistance is provided to help people recover from the effects of a disaster and re-establish a basic standard of living. It is not provided to replace insurance or compensate for losses.
You may be eligible for financial support if the following apply:
- your primary place of residence was damaged by a natural disaster
- you do not have insurance for the damage or your insurance doesn’t cover the damage caused during this natural disaster
- you are a low-income earner with limited financial resources after tax, mortgage or rent have been deducted
- it has been less than 6 months since the disaster.
If there are multiple individuals with differentially owned assets living within the one address, for example, in a share-house arrangement, each individual must make their own application, covering only those items which belong to them, and which are in scope. You may not be eligible if any of the following apply:
- lack of maintenance has caused or impacted the damage, such as poor roof maintenance
- the damage is cosmetic and not essential to living in a safe and habitable home.
Phone 13 77 88 to discuss if you may be eligible for the Disaster Relief Grant administered by Resilience NSW with a Service NSW Representative.
Replacing Essential Documents
Service NSW can help you replace essential personal and business documents lost as a result of a natural disaster. Find out more information here.
Rental Assistance
Available for eligible NSW residents unable to live in their home and need help to pay for short-term accommodation bookings (at least 14 days). The closing date for applications has been extended to 30 June 2023. The payment is based on the number of people who normally live in your home who need short-term accommodation.
- 1 person - $6,000
- 2 people - $7,200
- 3 people - $9,200
- 4 people - $12,400
- 5 people - $15,200
- 6 people - $18,000 .
If you have more than 6 people in your household, the payment will increase by $2,800 for each additional person. One person from each household can apply for the payment, The application must include all household members requiring temporary accommodation.
For more information, please click here
Services Australia - Disaster Recovery Payment, Disaster Recovery Allowance
Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment - Lump Sum
Lump sum payments of $1000 for adults and $400 for children are available for those seriously affected by the New South Wales Floods, for example:
- you were seriously injured
- you're the immediate family member of an Australian citizen or resident who died or is missing
- the flood caused major damage to your home or a major asset at your home
Your principal place of residence is deemed to have experienced major damage if, for example:
- it's been destoryed or must be demolished
- it's been declared structurally unsound
- this disaster has caused major damage to the interior
- this disaster has exposed the interior to the element
- sewage has gotten inside your home.
You may also be eligible if this disaster has caused major damage to the interior of your principal place of residence, for example:
- flooring or furniture needs refinishing or replacing
- metal has begun to rust, pit and corrode and needs replacing.
Claims can be made via MyGov or phone 180 22 66. Find more information here.
Disaster Recovery Allowance
This allowance provides support if you’ve lost income as a direct result of the current and ongoing New South Wales floods from 14 September 2022 through to November 2022.
To get it, you must meet all of the following. You:
- were 16 or older at the time of the storms and floods
- are an Australian resident or hold an eligible visa
- work/derive an income from or live in an affected Local Government Area (LGA)
- lost income as a direct result of the storms and floods
- earn less than the average weekly income in the weeks after you had this income loss
Services Australia uses Australian Bureau of Statistics figures to work out the average weekly income. On 19 August 2021, this was $1,737.10 per week.
If you're part of a couple, you can both claim this payment. You and your partner will need to make separate claims.
If you're aged between 16 and 21, Services Australia must consider you to be independent to get this payment. Services Australia will look at the following:
- your income
- your personal circumstances
- if you're dependent on anyone, such as an adult who has legal responsibility for your care and provides financial assistance. This does not include your partner.
You can't get DRA if you get any of the following payments during your claim period:
- an income support payment or pension
- Parental Leave Pay
- Dad and Partner Pay
- ABSTUDY Living Allowance
- Farm Household Allowance
- a Service Pension from the Department of Veterans' Affairs
- NEIS Allowance
Claims can be made via MyGov or phone 180 22 66. Find more information here.
Legal Aid NSW Disaster Response Service - Legal advice, issues with insurance claims and disputes
The Disaster Response Legal Service provides free legal help for disaster affected community members in NSW with legal issues like:
- Insurance claims and disputes
- Housing and rental problems including caravan parks
- Credit, debt, fines and financial hardship
- Employment - unfair dismissals, entitlements
- Domestic violence
- Other legal problems related to disasters
Anyone affected by a disaster can get free help by contacting the Disaster Response Legal Service NSW helpline on 1800 801 529 (9am to 5pm weekdays).
Or visit the DRLS website Disaster Response Legal Service NSWfor fact sheets and information. You can find out more information about the service through this short video.
Legal Aid can also be found at Flood Recovery Centres where they provide face to face help, or contact your local Legal Aid Regional office.
Assistance with Disaster Grant Applications
Rural Financial Counsellors can assist farmers to complete Special Disaster Grant Applications. Assistance can be provided remotely.
Do not self assess – contact the NSW RFCS hotline on 1800 319 458 for the support from RFC to determine your eligibility for assistance.
Find out more information here.
CatholicCare - Financial Counselling
Catholic Care can assist with financial assistance, debt repayment, insurance liasion etc. Contact Catholic Care Wilcannia-Forbes on 1800 067 067 to access this assistance. Financial Counsellors can assist anyone to navigate what help is available and especially to speak with banks, electricity/telco companies etc, to explain the situation and seek hardship arrangements/support such as placing on hold to give time to navigate insurance and other support.
Catholic Care can liaise with landlords and agencies etc
Catholic Care are independent, provide information and only act if people want us to assist.
CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes Financial Counselling on 1800 067 067 or 6850 1777.
Essential Energy
Essential Energy may be able to provide financial support for reconnecting power to properties affected by flooding.
Essential Energy's flood customer support program is available to anyone impacted by floods which includes:
- Waiving Essential Energy's standard $65 connection fee for Certificates of Compliance for Electrical Works
- Waiving up to $350 in reconnection fees for flood-affected customers
- Pausing all Disconnections for Non-Payment in flood-affected areas whilst the Natural Disaster continues
- Pausing customer communications for Private Asset defects in flood-affected areas
- Repairing or replacing any private assets which have been damaged or destroyed by flooding on a like-for-like basis at Essential Energy's cost
- Contributing $600 towards supporting customers in the cost to re-connect to our network (e.g., if their house is a total loss) for flood-impacted customers within our network, for a period of two years
For more information visit their website or call 13 20 80.
Disaster Relief - Banks
It addition to the below listed banks, additional information for disaster relief and financial hardship assistance through banks can be located here.
Commonwealth Bank
Commonwealth Bank has activated its Emergency Assistant to assist impacted personal and business customers. Support includes:
Assistance for Individuals
- Customised payment arrangements such as the option to defer loan replayments
- Waived fees and charges
- Temporary overdrafts, additional loans or emergency credit limit increases (subject to credit approval)
- Early access to Term Deposits
- Emergency accommodation assistance for Residential Home Insurance customers whose homes have been damaged by bushfire, flood or storms
- Expedited home and contents insurance claims
Assistance for Businesses
- Deferred business loan repayments for eligible business customers
- Refund of merchant terminal fees for up to 90 days or waiver of merchant non-return fees for eligible business customers
- Specialised tailored support for larger business customers
- Early access to Term Deposit, Cash Deposit, Farm Management Term Deposit and Business Investment accounts
Find out more information here or by calling 1800 314 695.
A dedicated Business Financial Assistance team is available 24/7 on 13 26 07.
NAB
NAB has opened applications for $1,000 grants and additional financial relief to customers severely affected by flooding in officially declared disaster areas of Victoria, NSW and Tasmania.
The grants provide ready access to funds to those experiencing major structural damage or severe internal damage to their property, to meet their immediate needs. This includes business and agriculture customers who have suffered severe damage to property, equipment, fencing – or loss of stock or livestock. Grants are available to customers who have suffered significant damage to their primary place of residence. Grants are not available for minor damage to homes or for damage to personal items and appliances, sheds, garages, gardens, or loss or damage to investment properties or holiday homes. NAB customers who live in officially declared disaster areas, as listed by the Department of Home Affairs’ Disaster Assist website may be eligible. All enquiries will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and require evidence showing significant property damage.
Customers can apply online at Disaster relief online grant request - NAB
Other assistance which may be available to flood affected customers includes:
- Loan deferral or reduced repayment arrangements for home, personal and some business loans
- Waiting and/or refunding fees and charges, including but not limited to: merchant terminal fees and early access feeds to term deposits
- Deferring upcoming credit card and business credit card payments
Find out more information here.
For further assistance customers can call NAB Assist on 1300 308 132 or 1300 769 650 for business customers.
ANZ
ANZ may be able to offer personal or business customers affected by natural disasters support options in their Disaster Relief Package, including:
- Short-term payment relief on home loans, credit cards, personal loans and some business loans (we may still charge you interest during that period)
- Waiving fees for restructuring business loans
- Waiving fees for accessing term deposits early
Also, if you have ANZ Home and Contents Insurance, you may be eligible for emergency funds and temporary accommodation.
Find more information and apply online here or call 1800 149 549.
Westpac
Depending on the nature of disasters, Westpac Disaster Relief Packages generally offer the following:
Home loan and insurance customers
- Affected customers with Westpac home loans may apply to defer repayments for up to three months.
- Affected Westpac customers with Home and Contents insurance can make a claim 24/7
- Affected Westpac customers with car insurance can make a claim online 24/7
Credit cards, term deposits and personal loans
- Affected credit card customers may apply to defer repayments to their card for up to 90 days.
- Westpac will waive interest rate adjustments for affected customers to withdraw term deposits.
- Customers experiencing severe hardship may also be offered a halt on all interest accrual on unsecured credit products for a period of up to three months.
Businesses
- Apply online for Disaster Relief Package.
- Affected businesses with existing loans can request loan restructuring without incurring the usual bank establishment fees.
- Affected business customers with merchant facilities are eligible to receive assistance including monthly terminal access fee refunds for up to three months. Contact Westpac to find out if you are eligible on 1800 029 749.
Find more information here.
Phone: 1800 067 497 (8:30am to 7:30pm Monday to Friday EST) 9:30 to 6:00pm on Saturday or apply online for financial hardship assistance.
Telstra
Residents living in disaster areas could be eligible for a Telstra disaster relief package.
If you’re a Telstra customer living in a disaster area, Telstra will send you an SMS with a link to request a disaster assistance package. If you don’t receive that SMS, you can call to activate it on Telstra’s dedicated disaster assistance line: 1800 888 888. You can also contact Telstra online.
Find out more information here.
Optus
Financial Hardship assistance may be available for Optus customers.
Customers can call 1300 308 839.
Find out more information here.
Need for Feed - Animal Fodder
Lions Australia has developed the project Need for Feed in response to Natural Disaster around Australia. This program provides fooder to farmers in need and is 100% volunteer run.
You can apply for assistance https://www.needforfeed.org/apply-for-assistance.html
If you’re in a position to spare some fodder to help https://www.needforfeed.org/fodder-donations.html
Your donations will help keep our trucks rolling: https://www.needforfeed.org/donate.html
BlazeAid: Property Assistance
We have welcomed back BLAZEAID who will be providing support for farmers and home owners. Members of the community requiring assistance with general farm assistance and/or fencing are required to contact Camp Coordinators directly.
Coordinator: Chris and John Male: 0418 745 994 or email forbes@blazeaid.com.au.
More information on BlazeAid can be located here.
Australian Taxation Office - Flood Support
The Australian Taxation Office has a range of support options available to help you meet your tax obligations. You can phone our Emergency support line on 1800 806 218 to see what support is available in your circumstances or see Support in difficult times.
NSW Council of Social Service - Flood Assistance Resources
NSW Council of Social Service has developed a page to provide information about key supports and services for individuals and communities impacted by the 2022 NSW Floods. Please visit here for a range of flood assistance resources.