Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Grant
If you’re uninsured, or unable to claim insurance, you may be eligible for a grant to help you reconnect essential services that were damaged by a disaster.
There are 2 parts to the grant:
- Inspection: up to $200 towards a safety inspection for each essential service needing reconnection (electricity, gas, water and sewerage or septic system)
- Repair: up to $4200 towards repair work to enable essential services to be reconnected (for example, electrical rewiring).
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must meet all of the following criteria:
- live in a disaster declared area where this grant is activated
- be the owner or mortgagee of the home
- be uninsured or unable to claim insurance to replace or repair your household contents
- qualify under the income and assets tests (below).
Income test (how much you earn)
Your gross (before tax) weekly income must be less than:
- individual: $730 ($37,960 per year before tax) + $55 per dependant
- couple: $965 ($50,180 per year before tax) + $55 per dependant.
If you earn up to $40 per week more than these amounts, you may be eligible for a reduced grant.
Assets test (what you own)
The following items are not included in the calculation of this assets test:
- your home (primary place of residence)
- household contents
- one motor vehicle
- assets that produce income (e.g. superannuation)
The realisable value* of your assets, excluding the items listed above, must be less than $6,355 or $26,005 for pensioners.
*Realisable value refers to the dollar value of the assets, minus the dollar value of ongoing loans.
How to apply
- Complete and sign the Applicant Information Form.
- Complete and sign the Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Grant Form.
- Provide a rates notice and driver licence or electricity bill to confirm you own the dwelling and it is your principal place of residence.
Applicant Information and Grant forms are available at your nearest Community Recovery Centre or by phoning the Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349.
In most cases, a Queensland Government officer will visit your home to assess your application.
Grant payment
Payments of this grant are divided into two parts (inspection costs and repair costs) and will be made by either cheque or bank deposit direct to you or to the repairer.
Payments can only be made after invoices, receipts, quotes or a QBuild inspection report have been provided.
