MIDCOAST residents impacted by the June and July floods can now apply for rental-support payments to help meet the cost of temporary accommodation, and ‘Back Home’ grants to help with household repair costs.

Customer Service and Digital Government Minister Victor Dominello said support payments could be accessed by residents in 17 local government areas, including the MidCoast LGA.

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“For some residents this is the fourth flood in 18 months and as a Government we have moved quickly to put these additional financial assistance programs in place,” Mr Dominello said.

“Impacted residents can apply on the Service NSW website or via the app, over the phone on 13 77 88 or in-person at a Recovery Centre.”

The rental-support scheme provides flood-impacted households with payments for as much as 16 weeks’ rent.

The Back Home grants provide one-off payments of as much as $20,000 for owner-occupiers, $15,000 for landlords and $5,000 for renters towards the cost of replacing appliances, reconnecting utilities, fixing roofs, connecting electricity and making other necessary repairs.

Emergency Services, Resilience and Flood Recovery Minister Steph Cooke said the support would help people get back to their homes as quickly as possible.

“It’s vital people have a roof over their heads as they recover from this devastating flooding,” Ms Cooke said.

“The June-July flood event caused damage to more than 10,700 homes across the State, with more than 1,500 assessed as uninhabitable.”

Rental support payments and Back Home grants are available in the 17 severely flood-impacted LGAs of MidCoast, Camden, Canterbury-Bankstown, Central Coast, Cessnock, Fairfield, Hawkesbury, Hornsby, Liverpool, Maitland, , Penrith, Port Stephens, Singleton, Sutherland, The Hills and Wollongong.

The rental-support scheme and Back Home grants are in addition to a series of clean-up and funding programs underway, jointly funded by the NSW and Commonwealth governments.

Small businesses and not-for-profit organisations in NSW are eligible for storm and flood disaster recovery small businesses grants of as much as $50,000 to pay for costs of clean-up and reinstatement of operations.

For eligibility information and to apply, visit: www.service.nsw.gov.au/floods/financial-assistance

By Tara CAMPBELL