What is it?

A lump sum payment to help you following the South East Queensland floods in February 2022.

The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment can help if you’ve been significantly affected by a disaster. It’s a lump sum payment to help you if you’re in a Local Government Area that’s been declared for a disaster.

It’s not for minor damage or inconvenience. You can choose to get this payment in 2 instalments.

Who can get it?

To get it, you or a dependent child you’re a principal carer for must meet all of the following:

• you’re an Australian resident or hold an eligible visa
• you meet Local Government Area (LGA) rules
• you’re claiming this payment for the South East QLD Floods, February 2022 for the first time.

You must be 16 years or older at the time of the floods or getting a social security payment.

You or a dependent child you’re a principal carer for, must have been seriously affected by the storms and 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.

If you’re part of a couple, you can both claim this payment. You and your partner will need to make separate claims.

You can’t claim on behalf of a person who has died, or their estate.

How much can you get?

The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment is a lump sum payment.

If you’re eligible you’ll get:

• $1,000 per adult
• $400 for each child younger than 16.

How do you claim?

There are 3 steps to claim the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment.

1. Get ready to claim

Australian residents must claim online. If you’re a protected visa holder, you’re considered to be an Australian resident and can claim online.

To claim online, you need a myGov account linked to Centrelink.

If you don’t have a myGov account, you’ll need to set it up online.

If your myGov account isn’t linked to Centrelink, you can prove who you are through myGov to link Centrelink.

2. Link Centrelink to your myGov account

You’ll need to link Centrelink to your myGov account. How you do this will depend on if you’ve claimed a payment from us before.

If you’ve claimed a payment before

If you’ve claimed a payment before, you can use your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN) to link Centrelink to myGov. You’ll also need to answer some personal questions.

If you don’t know your CRN or can’t answer the personal questions using your CRN, select I need a CRN. You’ll need to prove your identity online, using myGov. Follow the same instructions for ‘If you haven’t claimed a payment before’.

If you haven’t claimed a payment before

If you haven’t claimed a payment from us before, you’ll need to prove your identity online using myGov.

You’ll need to enter some personal information and details from 2 acceptable identity documents and your Medicare card. Once you prove your identity, we’ll link Centrelink to your myGov account.

3. Make your Claim

Follow these steps to make your claim:

1. Sign in to myGov and select Centrelink in your linked services.
2. Select Make a claim or view claim status.
3. Select Make a claim.
4. Scroll to Help in an emergency and select Get started.
5. Select Apply for Disaster Recovery Payment.
6. Select Begin.
7. Answer the eligibility and claim questions.
8. Submit your claim

When you’re ready:

Sign in to myGov

How long do you have to make a claim?

You have until 27 August 2022 to make a claim for the following Local Government Areas (LGAs):

• Brisbane
• Fraser Coast
• Gold Coast
• Gympie
• Ipswich
• Lockyer Valley
• Logan
• Moreton Bay
• Noosa
• North Burnett
• Redland
• Scenic Rim
• Somerset
• South Burnett
• Southern Downs
• Sunshine Coast
• Toowoomba

If you have questions in relation to the above, or any other matters, please do not hesitate to contact our office on 1300 620 345.