VICTORIAN LOCKDOWN SUPPORT
Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment
$1,500 for each 14 day period you self-isolate, quarantine or care for a person who has COVID-19
To apply or for detailed information visit: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/pandemic-leave-disaster-payment-victoria
- Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment is a lump sum payment to help during the 14 days a person needs to self-isolate, quarantine or care for someone who has tested positive with COVID-19.
- The bill for this payment will be footed by VicGov but is being managed through Services Australia.
- A person may be eligible if the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services or one of their agents has been advised to self-isolate or quarantine. They need to have told the person self-isolate or quarantine for one of the following reasons:
- they have coronavirus (COVID-19)
- they’ve been in close contact with a person who has COVID-19, including being at a Tier 1 exposure site
- the person cares for a child, 16 years or younger, who has COVID-19
- the person cares for a child, 16 years or younger, who’s been in close contact with a person who has COVID-19, including being at a Tier 1 exposure site
COVID-19 Disaster Payment
The COVID-19 Disaster Payment has been activated to assist people unable to work due to a lockdown event greater than seven days in a Commonwealth declared hotspot.
To be eligible for payment, a customer must have been expecting to work for at least 8 hours, on one full day on or after the 8th day of the restricted movement lockdown.
- $600 per week if they have lost 20 or more hours of work
- $375 per week if they have lost between 8 and less than 20 hours of work
Customers receiving an income support payment or pandemic leave disaster payment during the claiming period are not eligible to receive the COVID-19 Disaster Payment.
For detailed information and to apply visit: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/covid-19-disaster-payment
Crisis Payment (National Health Emergency)
The Crisis Payment National Health Emergency (NHE) is payable to customers who need to quarantine/self-isolate or care for an immediate family/household member in quarantine/self-isolation due to the COVID-19 National Health Emergency.
- Crisis Payment is only available to new and existing customers in receipt of a social security pension or benefit.
Please go to the Services Australia website for more information: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/crisis-payment-national-health-emergency-covid-19
Suspension of mutual obligations – Victoria
• The Morrison Government has suspended mutual obligation requirements for job seekers and participants in Victoria after the announcement of a five-day COVID-19 lockdown.
• The suspension of mutual obligation requirements will be in place from today, Friday 16 July and will remain in place until Thursday 22 July 2021 inclusive.
• These arrangements will apply to job seekers in Jobactive, Online Employment Services, Disability Employment Services and participants in ParentsNext who live or are serviced in Victoria.
Mental Health Support – Victoria
• The Morrison Government is providing $3 million to support young Australians in Victoria, ensuring they can access mental health support if and when they need it during this lockdown.
• This additional investment to headspace services, complemented by co-funding from the Victorian Government, will support a surge workforce of clinicians to immediately boost the capacity of 32 headspace services across Victoria for six months.
• The funding will also ensure Primary Health Networks and headspace National can integrate activities through the National headspace Program for monitoring and evaluation activities.
• This further complements the Morrison Government’s $152 million program to reduce wait times and manage demand at headspace services across the nation.
• If the Victorian lockdown is extended, the Commonwealth will provide additional support in consultation with the Victorian Government.
• The Government had made more than $500 million in direct supports to respond to the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic including $43.9 million in targeted support for Victorians during the 2020 lockdowns.
