Temporary closure sign due to COVID-19 lockdown, Sammy’s @ the Foreshore restaurant. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr has confirmed that Canberrans who have lost work due to the seven-day lockdown will be able to access Commonwealth Government disaster payments.
Disaster payments are available at a rate of $750 a week for people who lose more than 20 hours a week. A rate of $450 is available to people who lose more than eight hours but less than 20 hours a week, or a full day of their usual work hours.
An additional $200 is available for anyone currently receiving an income support payment who loses eight or more hours of work a week or a full day of their usual work hours.
Payments will become available on 20 August and be paid in arrears.
To access the Pandemic Leave Disaster payment of $1,500 for each 14-day period, a person must self-isolate, quarantine or care for a person with COVID-19.
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To be eligible for the payments, the person must be at least 17 years old, an Australian resident or permitted to work in Australia on their visa; live, work in or have visited an area subject to lockdown; not be able to work and have lost income due to the lockdown; not be receiving a state pandemic payment and have insufficient pandemic-related leave entitlements.
A full list of supports and how to apply is available at www.covid19.act.gov.au.
There are also some reprieves for Canberrans subject to mutual obligations for some government payments.
Mutual obligations are suspended for ACT participants in jobactive, Online Employment Services, Disability Employment Services, ParentsNext and Community Development Program from today 12 August until 24 August inclusive.
— ACTCOSS (@ACTCOSS) August 12, 2021
Debt recovery is also paused for welfare recipients during lockdowns. Anyone in a lockdown area who receives a debt letter will not need to do anything.
Debt payment arrangements in place before the lockdown will remain the same. Payments can be updated at servicesaustralia.gov.au. Repayments can be paused for up to three months.
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