Individual grants

Last Updated: 16 Oct 2021 3:30pm
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Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment

The Australian Government has extended Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment arrangements to include Tasmania.

Tasmanian workers may be eligible for a $1,500 lump sum payment if they cannot earn an income because they are required to self-isolate or quarantine.

If an individual is instructed by a health official to stay home from work because they have COVID-19 or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, and they have used up all their sick leave entitlements, including any special pandemic leave, they may be eligible to make a claim. People may also be eligible if they are the parent or guardian of a child aged 16 or under who is a close contact or has tested positive for COVID-19.

Tasmanian workers are eligible for the payment if they are not receiving income, earnings or salary maintenance from work, receiving the JobKeeper Payment or other forms of Australian Government income support. The payment can be claimed again should an extended quarantine period longer than 14 days be instructed by health officials.

The Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment applies from 22 August 2020. To make a claim call 180 22 66. Further information is available on the Service Australia website.

Pandemic Isolation Assistance Grants

Grants are available to support low-income persons, casual workers and self-employed persons who are required to self-isolate due to COVID-19 risk.

Low income

A one-off payment is available to low-income persons who are required by Public Health to self-isolate due to COVID-19 risk.

The amount depends on the size of your household:

  • $250 per adult
  • $125 per child
  • Maximum capped at $1,000 per household

To be eligible for assistance you:

  • must be required by Public Health to self-isolate (excludes travellers returning home who are required to quarantine in government provided accommodation) as evidenced by a Letter of Isolation or other form of official advice; and
  • must be low-income as evidenced by Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioners Concession Card, or otherwise be able to demonstrate genuine financial hardship; and
  • are not able to quarantine at your regular place of residence or with family and friends, as to do so, in the opinion of Public Health, would place vulnerable people at too great a risk.

An individual or household may be eligible to receive both Accommodation Support and Pandemic Isolation Assistance Grants.

To apply, please call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738.

Pandemic Isolation Assistance Grants – Southern Tasmania Lockdown

Grants are available to support low income, casual and self-employed workers who have lost income due to an inability to work caused by the lockdown in Southern Tasmania.

The amount depends on the size of your household:

  • $250 per adult
  • $125 per child
  • Maximum capped at $1,000 per household

To be eligible for assistance you must:

  • be a Tasmanian resident;
  • have a regular place of residence or place of employment located in a Local Government Area affected by the Southern Tasmania mandatory stay at home order;
  • not be receiving a Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment for the same period or accessing other support mechanism (e.g. paid leave or income supports); and
  • be low income, be employed on a casual basis or be self-employed;
  • have lost income due to being unable to work due to the mandatory stay at home order and have no pandemic-related paid leave entitlements.

An individual or household may be eligible to receive both Accommodation Support and Pandemic Isolation Assistance Grants.

To apply, please call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738.

Casuals and self-employed

A $250 payment is available to eligible casual workers and self-employed persons who are unable to work while they are awaiting a COVID-19 test result.

To be eligible for assistance you must:

  • be employed on a casual basis* or be self-employed**;
  • have been tested for COVID-19, or be required to care for a dependent that has been tested for COVID-19, and be waiting for your or your dependent’s test results;
  • be a Tasmanian resident;
  • be self-isolating at your regular place of residence, with family or friends, or in Government quarantine, while waiting for your or your dependent’s test results; and
  • be able to demonstrate that you have lost income while waiting for test results.

* The applicant’s casual employment will be verified with their employer.

** Self-employed persons must be low-income as evidenced by a Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioners Concession Card, or otherwise be able to demonstrate genuine financial hardship.

Evidence of a requirement to self-isolate, such as a Letter of Isolation or other form of official advice is not required. However, assessors will confirm that a COVID-19 test has been conducted prior to any payment being made.

Eligible persons may receive the grant multiple times, but no more than once within a 30 day period.

Isolating after interstate health treatment

A $1000 payment is available for casually or self-employed workers who are required to self-isolate for 14 days* after interstate travel to COVID-19 hotspots for medical treatment organised by the Tasmanian Health Service (THS).

To be eligible for this assistance, you must:

  • Have utilised the Patient Travel Assistance Scheme (PTAS) through the THS for access to medical care interstate;
  • Be required to self-isolate for 14 days upon return to Tasmania as a result of travel from a COVID-19 medium or high-risk (by exemption) area;
  • Be casually or self-employed and unable to work from home during the isolation period, take paid leave, or otherwise earn income;
  • Not be already benefiting from other state or commonwealth support payments, including the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment and Jobseeker**;

*If your medical care requires multiple short episodes of treatments you can claim this payment for each 14 days you are required to self-isolate when returning to Tasmania.

Does not include other forms of the Tasmanian Government’s Pandemic Isolation Assistance Grants (PIAG) – if you have already received $250 under the PIAG but believe you’re eligible for this payment, you can apply and if successful, you will be paid the remaining $750.

Assessors will require evidence that you have utilised PTAS for access to interstate medical care, that you are casually or self-employed and not currently receiving income or other government support, and that you are required to self-isolate for 14 days.

Temporary Visa Holders

Pandemic Isolation Assistance Grants are available to temporary visa holders residing in Tasmania who can demonstrate genuine financial hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. There is no requirement for temporary visa holders to be in self-isolation or quarantine to be eligible.

See Temporary visa holders for more information.