The state government has announced that it will provide fully-funded income support payments to eligible workers in Queensland who live or work in State Government declared hotspots and who have lost work due to a public health order. The type of payment you get depends on if you get an eligible Centrelink payment or not.
Background
The federal government has enhanced its COVID -19 Disaster payment which is now available for each recognised lockdown, hotspot or period of restricted movement in a particular area.
If eligible, for each relevant period workers (and both members of a couple) can receive:
- $450 if they have lost less than 20 hours of work per week
- $750 if they have lost 20 hours or more of work per week
There are two relevant periods you can claim for:
1. 1 to 7 August 2021
2. 8 August
General eligibility criteria to be met:
- You are an Australian resident or hold a visa that gives you the right to work in Australia
- You are aged 17 years or older
- You are not receiving an income support payment, ABSTUDY Living Allowance, Dad and Partner Pay or Parental Leave Pay
- You are not receiving the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment, a state or territory pandemic payment or a state small business payment for the same period
- You have lost income and don’t have any appropriate paid leave entitlements (appropriate paid leave entitlement must be used before you can get the COVID-19 Disaster payment)
For Queenslanders, claims can be made from 7 August via Services Australia and myGov. Payments will be paid in arrears for the lockdown.
Please visit the Services Australia website here for details to make your claim.