Financial assistance for immediate needs

Financial assistance for immediate needs is intended to help cover urgent health, safety or security expenses resulting from the violent crime or modern slavery.

Eligible victims may get up to $5,000 to reimburse the cost of:

• changing the locks on your doors
  
• moving house
  
• putting an alarm in your home
  
• emergency doctor, dentist and other medical bills
  
• crime scene clean-up.
  

Who can apply?

You can apply for financial assistance for immediate needs if you are a:

• primary victim
  
• family victim.

For more information about primary and family victims, see Eligibility criteria.

How long do I have to apply?

The time frame for applying will vary depending on your individual circumstances:

• If you were an adult when the incident happened, you need to apply within 2 years of the incident.
• If you were a child when the incident happened, you need to apply within 2 years of turning 18 years old.
• If you are a family victim, you need to apply within 2 years from the date the death was established as a homicide, or within 2 years of turning 18 if the family victim was a child at the time.

How do I apply?

To apply, please select the relevant online application form and follow the instructions to complete your application:

• If you are a primary victim, use the Application for Support.
• If you are a family victim, use the Application for Support for a Family Member of a Homicide Victim.

If you're unable to apply online, you can download a PDF application form and send your completed form and supporting documents to us by email or post. 

Primary victims of domestic violence may also be able to claim an Immediate Needs Support Package as part of financial assistance for immediate needs. This package provides financial assistance to help pay for things that are urgently needed to stay safe and healthy because of the violent crime. To learn more, visit Immediate Needs Support Package.

What do I need to apply?

If you are a primary victim, you need to provide additional information and supporting documents with your completed application form. These include:

• a clear copy or image of your current government-issued identification, as well as a copy of your parent or guardian's identification if you're under 18. Visit Supporting documents to see a list of identification documents we accept.
• your bank account details or your parent, step-parent or guardian's bank account details if you are under 18 years old. If you would like victims support payments to be made to an account in another name, please contact us to discuss your options before submitting your application.
• a report that explains what happened and how the incident affected you. This can be either:
  • a police report (You do not need to send us the police report if you reported the incident to NSW police. You can provide information about your report to NSW police in the application form.)
  • a report from a government or government-funded organisation
  • a medical, dental, or counselling report.
• copies of itemised tax invoices, receipts or treatment plans for the costs you are claiming and a description of how each cost relates directly to the incident. 

Family victims seeking financial assistance for immediate needs or funeral expenses need to provide a different set of supporting documents with their completed application form. Please see Family Victims - A Factsheet About Supporting Documents (PDF, 71.2 KB) to learn more.

Collecting information to support your application

You can use the following resources and optional forms to help you collect the required information for your application for financial assistance for immediate needs:

• Information about government and government-funded organisation reports. A government or government-funded organisation can write a report to provide information about what happened to you.
• Expenses form (PDF, 81.0 KB). You can use this form to claim new costs incurred after submitting your application. 
• Certificate of Injury (PDF, 649.5 KB). A counsellor, dental or medical practitioner can use this form to provide information about how the incident affected you.

For more information on how to collect the information required, visit Supporting documents.

Can I make additional claims for financial assistance after my application is approved?

After your application for financial assistance is accepted, you can submit claims for further costs you incur because of the violent crime for a period of 5 years, or until the available funds are used. 

These expenses need to directly relate to the act of violence or act of modern slavery described in your initial application form. 

To submit additional claims for financial assistance, you do not need to submit a new Application for Support. Please use the Expenses form (PDF, 81.0 KB), or send us an email or letter with the following information and documents:

• your name
• Victims Services application reference number
• a list of the new expenses
• a description of how the costs are related to the incident
• copies of itemised tax invoices, receipts or any other proof of expenditure.

If you want to make a claim for costs related to a new act of violence or act of modern slavery, you will need to complete a new Application for Support.