Flood & Storm Resources
Updated 12th March 2025
The NCOSS Flood & Storm Resources are information about key supports and services for individuals and communities impacted by floods and storms, including Tropical Cyclone Alfred. They are for NCOSS Member organisations and other services supporting communities impacted by floods and severe weather events.
Please note that NCOSS is a peak body and cannot directly provide people with assistance for flood relief. For emergency help in a flood, call the NSW State Emergency Service on 132 500.
TC Alfred Severe Weather
A National Disaster Declaration has been made for NSW Tropical Cyclone Alfred Severe Weather. People in an impacted LGA may be eligible for: Personal Hardship Assistance Grant: A payment of $180 for individuals (up to $900 per family) for essential costs such as food, clothing, medicine and emergency accommodation. Apply through Service NSW from Wednesday 12th March 2025. Disaster Recovery Allowance for people who’ve lost income because of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Apply through Services Australia or using MyGov from Tuesday 11 March 2025 at 2 pm AEDT. For assistance with grant applications, visit a Recovery Assistance Point or Mobile Recovery Point. |
To confirm whether your Local Government Area is Disaster Declared, go to the NSW Government's Natural disaster declarations webpage.
- For latest evacuation warnings and information, download the Hazards Near Me NSW app to your mobile phone or tablet, or visit the NSW State Emergency Service website, or call 132 500.
- The NSW State Emergency Service provides information on what to do during a flood.
- Use the Live Traffic NSW app to check road closures before travel.
- Red Cross Register.Find.Reunite: If you’ve been displaced from your home due to flooding, it’s important to register your details so your friends and family know you’re safe. The Register.Find.Reunite website is a national system used to find and reunite loved ones after an emergency.
A number of schools are closed due to potential impacts from Cyclone Alfred. For more information visit, education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/school-operational-status.
Financial support - for people
- Service NSW provides an overview of financial assistance available to people impacted by the floods, and a Disaster Assistance Finder to help people find the assistance they are eligible for. Call Service NSW 13 77 88, 7am - 7pm, Monday to Friday and 9am - 5pm on weekends and public holidays.
- Personal Hardship Assistance Grant: A payment of $180 for individuals (up to $900 per family) for essential costs such as food, clothing, medicine and emergency accommodation. Apply through Service NSW.
- Disaster Recovery Allowance for people who’ve lost income because of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Apply through Services Australia or using MyGov.
- Families receiving a Child Care Subsidy may be eligible for an Additional Child Care Subsidy due to temporary financial hardship.
- Clients of the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS) affected by the bushfires may be eligible for additional travel and accommodation subsidies when you need to travel long distances for specialised health treatment that is not available locally. You can make a claim online.
- The Australian Taxation Office will assist people affected by floods, for example by deferring tax lodgement or debt payment, helping with lost tax file numbers or records, or remitting any penalties or interest during the time you have been affected. Call the ATO Emergency Support Infoline on 1800 806 218 for assistance.
- The Australian Banking Association has a list of member banks provide disaster assistance for customers experiencing financial difficulty .
- The National Debt Helpline provides free assistance to those in financial difficulty. Call 1800 007 007, 9.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday.
- Revenue NSW assists people impacted by the floods by placing a hold on all fines, debt, and Work and Development Orders, extending payment deadlines and lifting driving sanctions. Call 1300 138 118.
Financial support - for organisations
- Disaster recovery small business grant: If you’re a small business or a not-for-profit organisation in a defined disaster area and have been impacted by storms and floods, you may be eligible for a storm and flood disaster recovery grant to help pay for the costs of clean-up and reinstatement of a small business or not-for-profit organisation’s operations. Apply online at Service NSW or call 13 77 88.
- The NSW Government offers grants, loans, and financial assistance to businesses affected by the flood. Click here for guidance.
- $1,000 SafeWork small business rebate: The $1,000 rebate is available to small businesses and not-for-profits with fewer than 50 full-time employees. The SafeWork small business rebate helps organisations purchase items to help clean up or improve work health and safety.
- Childcare services at risk of closure in flood-impacted areas may be eligible for a Community Child Care Fund Special Circumstances Grant Opportunity to help their service stay open.
Flood health and safety information
- For free health advice anytime day or night, call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222. Need support in your language? You can call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 and ask for Healthdirect.
- NSW Health has prepared a range of resources on maintaining health during and after floods, including what to do about cleaning up after a flood, drinking water, mosquito control and managing your medications.
- For NSW Health information on mosquito-borne diseases.
- Cleaning up debris and waste: Local councils can help residents dispose of flood-damaged rubbish and other waste. The waste levy can be waived for waste arising as a result of storms and floods subject to a natural disaster declaration. Check your local landfill websites for opening hours and whether there are special requirements for disposing of flood-damaged waste.
- State Emergency Service (SES) provide information on recovering from a flood, storm or tsunami.
- The ABC Emergency site provides information on how to clean up after a flood or cyclone.
- Australian Red Cross provides advice and resources on Cleaning up after a disaster.
- The Asbestos Awareness website has information on managing asbestos hazards following storms and floods.
Replacing damaged documents (licences, permits, certificates)
- Contact Service NSW to replace licenses, permits, certificates and registrations including birth, marriage and change of name, NSW Fair Trading and SafeWork NSW, family law, citizenship and Medicare documents. Call 13 77 88.
- Emotional and trauma support: Learn about available support and how to look after your own and your loved ones' wellbeing after a disaster. A range of 24/7 mental health services and professional help is available from the NSW Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511. People can also contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
- The NSW Mental Health Line provides links to mental health services on 1800 011 511.
- Lifeline 13 11 14, is available to listen and support 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Phone, SMS and online chat is available.
- The NSW Rural Adversity Mental Health Program links people to appropriate mental health support in their area. Local RAMHP Coordinators are working to identify and link people in need of extra support.
- Australian Red Cross provides resources on looking after yourself after a disaster.
- Headspace provides information for family and friends supporting young people affected by a natural disaster.
- The NSW Government Free training and coaching provides links to free, easy-to-do programs you can use to support mental health in your workplace.
- GIVIT is managing offers of donated goods, services, volunteering and funds, including corporate offers. Organisations can register with GIVIT to distribute donations in their area.
- Good360 is a matchmaker, connecting brand-new goods donated by businesses to people and communities who need them the most. Organisations can register with Good360 to distribute donations in their area.
- The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Local Land Services assist landholders and communities with animal welfare-related issues, including veterinary assistance, emergency fodder and stock water, stock euthanasia and burial, and care of animals in evacuation centres. Contact the Agriculture and Animal Services Hotline on 1800 814 647 (operating weekdays, 9.00am and 5.00pm).
- Contact RSPCA for assistance with pets, livestock (including horses), and wildlife on 1300 278 358.
- Emergency or temporary accommodation after a flood: Accommodation support is available to people affected by floods. This includes emergency accommodation or long-term temporary accommodation in housing pods, caravan parks and campgrounds. If you need urgent accommodation or need to register for temporary housing in flood-affected regions of NSW, call Service NSW.
- Renters have rights if their home is damaged by disaster. The Tenants Union have advice on disaster damage for renters. Enter your postcode here to find your local Tenants’ Advice & Advocacy Service. Or contact the Tenants Advice Line: 1800 251 101, on Mondays 10am-1pm and Thursdays 2-5pm.
- NSW Fair Trading has prepared information on tenancy rights during flood.
- Rebuilding and repairing your property: Some low impact works can be carried out in disaster areas without the need for development approval – visit the temporary rebuilding works page to find out more.
- Telstra customers impacted by disaster may be eligible for relief packages.
- Optus customers impacted by a disaster can access the Dedicated Support Hotline on 1800 507 581, Mon-Sun: 9am - 6pm AEDT.
- Visit the Australian Energy Regulator website to find out your gas or electricity provider.
- There are financial hardship options are available for Engie customers impacted by disasters.
- Origin Energy provide updates and additional bill relief for customers who have been impacted by bushfires.
- The Legal Aid NSW Disaster Response Legal Service (DRLS) has a disaster response service that can help people impacted by floods with legal problems including insurance claims and disputes, financial hardship, tenancy and Centrelink. Call 1800 801 529, 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.
- Community Legal Centres can help people impacted by floods with insurance claims, tenancy, Centrelink, lost documents and financial hardship.
- Justice Connect an provide free legal advice and ongoing representation to eligible small businesses, farms and primary producers affected by natural disasters like floods and bushfires.
- The Insurance Australia Group (IAG) provide claims support for customers impacted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
- The Insurance Council of Australia, has information on natural disasters and a hotline. Call 1800 734 621 (note this is not a claim lodgement service).
- The Financial Rights Legal Centre Insurance Law Service is an insurance helpline for consumers. Call the Insurance Hotline on 1300 663 464, Monday to Friday 10am-1pm (Sydney time).
- icare Crisis Support assists disaster-impacted customers arrange alternative treatment and care.
- Emergency Volunteering is a NSW Government website providing information on volunteering with formal emergency agencies, management of spontaneous volunteers and current volunteering opportunities.
- Disaster Recovery Volunteering. Pre-register your interest in volunteering for disaster recovery organisations with The Centre for Volunteering.
- Local community services and organisations are at the forefront of the flood response and recovery. Ask at your local Recovery Centre or community hub, or search using Infoxchange Service Seeker or Ask Izzy to find out what local services are doing in your area.
- My Community Directory provides online health and community information for locations throughout NSW.
- The NSW Government provides information on disaster response and recovery arrangements and how community organisations can be involved.
- Strategic Grants helps build nonprofits’ capacity through their GEMS grants database, grant writing, grants training, grants workshops, program design and monitoring and evaluation frameworks and strategic planning for grants management success.
- Have your say on business impacts of floods and storms: The NSW Government is surveying businesses impacted by the recent storms and floods to better understand the extent and severity of damage in impacted Local Government Areas. If your business has been impacted, please complete this 5-minute survey. The results from this survey will help inform decisions around potential further support and assistance for affected communities and businesses.
To provide updated or new flood assistance information, please contact info@ncoss.org.au.