Financial assistance for immediate needs

Financial assistance for immediate needs is intended to help pay for things you need urgently to be safe and healthy because of the violent crime.

 If you are a victim of violent crime, you may get up to $5,000 to help pay for:

• 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?

• Primary victims.
  
• Parents, step-parents and guardians of a homicide victim.
• Current spouses, or de facto partners of a homicide victim.
• Financially dependent family victims and children under 18 years at the time of death of a homicide victim.

For more information, see Eligibility criteria.

How long do I have to apply?

• Within 2 years from the violent crime. 
  • If the violent crime resulted in the death of a victim, the 2-year time period starts from the date it was confirmed that the death resulted from the act of violence.
    
• For children, within 2 years of turning 18 years old.
  

How do I apply?

• If you are a primary victim use the Primary Victims form.
• If you are a family victim, use the Family Member of a Homicide Victim form.

PDF forms are also available. 

If you need help completing your application, you can ask a support worker, friend or family member. Or contact Victims Services. 

Documents required

• A government issued ID. For example, a driver’s licence, passport, Medicare card, or card issued by Centrelink.
  
• Police report, or a report from a government/government-funded organisation, or a medical report. The report must provide details about what happened and show how the violent crime has affected you. This evidence is not required for family victims of homicide victims.
• Copies of tax invoices, receipts or treatment plans for costs you are claiming.
  
• A description of how each cost relates directly to the violent crime.

* If the violent crime was reported to Police, you don't need to send us a Police Report. You just need to provide as much information as you can about what has happened to you in the application form.

Optional templates to support your application

• Government funded organisation report (PDF , 122.1 KB) or Certificate of Injury (PDF , 649.5 KB) (medical report).
  
• Expense form (PDF , 81.0 KB) for new costs you want to claim after submitting your application.