New South Wales Floods, September 2022 - Disaster Recovery Allowance

What it is?

The Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) is a short term payment to help you if your income has been directly affected by the current and ongoing New South Wales floods from 14 September 2022 through to November 2022.

  • You can get it for a maximum of 13 weeks.

  • You’ll be paid from the date you started losing income as a direct result of the NSW Flood that started on 14 September 2022.

Who can get it?

  • Were 16 or older at the time of the floods

  • Are an Australian resident or hold an eligible visa

  • Work 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 Australian weekly income in the weeks after you had this income loss (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.

When you can’t get this payment

You can’t get DRA if you get any of the following payments during your claim period:

How much you can get?

  • If you’re eligible, you’ll get the maximum equivalent rate of JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance, depending on your personal circumstances.

  • If your income is more than the average Australian weekly income amount of $1737.10, we’ll reduce your payment to zero.

  • You may have to pay income tax on your taxable Centrelink payments.

  • Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) and Disaster Recovery Allowance Top-Up are taxable payments. You need to report these with your tax return.


Jessica Pike