Crisis Payment claim forms and information

Eligibility

Crisis Payment is a special one-off payment that may be paid in addition to your regular payment from Centrelink.

Crisis Payment may be paid where:

• you have been forced to leave your home and establish, or intend to establish, a new home because of an extreme circumstance such as domestic violence or a natural disaster, or
• you remain in your home after experiencing domestic violence and the family member responsible has left or been removed from your home, or
• you have been released from a prison or a correctional centre after being charged with an offence and imprisoned for a period of at least 14 days, or
• you have arrived in Australia for the first time on a qualifying humanitarian visa on or after 1 January 2008.

In all situations, to be eligible for a payment you must be in severe financial hardship and must make a claim within 7 days of the event which has led to your need for Crisis Payment.

You must also be receiving, or be eligible to receive:

• a social security benefit or pension - this includes payments such as Parenting Payment, Newstart Allowance, Youth Allowance, Disability Support Pension and Age Pension, or
• ABSTUDY Living Allowance.

Note: You are not eligible for a Crisis Payment if your only entitlement from Centrelink is Family Tax Benefit or Child Care Benefit.

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Claim forms

For a Crisis Payment claim form based on your personal circumstances, you can either:

• print out the Claim for Crisis Payment - extreme circumstances and domestic violence form
• print out the Claim for Crisis Payment - humanitarian entrants form
• print out the Claim for Crisis Payment - prison release form

• phone us on your usual payment number or on 13 2850 for the relevant claim form to be sent to you
• visit your nearest Centrelink Customer Service Centre.

Information required to make a claim

You will need to provide proof of identity. You will also be asked for information about the event that has led to your need for a Crisis Payment.

Publications

• Crisis Payment for humanitarian entrants factsheet
• Crisis Payment for people in extreme circumstances factsheet
• Crisis Payment for released prisoners brochure
• We speak your language section - Crisis Payment factsheet (translated version)

More information

For more information or to ask for help:

• refer to the Crisis Payment section
• phone us on 13 2850
• find your nearest Centrelink Customer Service Centre

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