January 2026 fires - DFFH Services

Emergency relief payments and re-establishment payments are available for eligible people affected by the January 2026 fires.

Emergency Recovery Support Program

Emergency recovery support is available for people directly affected by the January 2026 fires. Support is based on you and your family’s needs.

Support officers can advise on what services are available or connect you to programs.

They can help with:

finding local services
insurance and legal questions
money problems
your health and wellbeing
registering for government services.

If you need extra support, we may provide a dedicated recovery support worker. They will work with you to find and access services you need.

Emergency Recovery Hotline

To access the Program, phone 1800 560 760. Press 9 for an interpreter or call TIS on 131 450.

Program flyers

These printable flyers come in either A4 or DL size.

Emergency relief payments

You can apply for an emergency relief payment if:

your principal place of residence was damaged or destroyed by the fires and you can’t live in it, or
your principal place of residence was in an evacuation warning area, and you evacuated your property

and

you have unmet immediate relief needs.

Emergency re-establishment payments

You can apply for a emergency re-establishment payment to fix your principal place of residence. A principal place of residence is the primary home that you live in.

You can apply for a re-establishment payment if you:

do not have much money to fix your home damaged by a major emergency; AND
do not have building or contents insurance; AND
cannot return home because it is damaged or destroyed AND
cannot get to your home for more than 7 days because of a major emergency.

How to apply

A support officer from the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing can help you apply for emergency relief and re-establishment payments.

By phone

For emergency relief payments

Call the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226. Press 0, then 1 to talk to someone.

Press 9 for an interpreter if you need one.

For re-establishment payments

Call the Emergency Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760. Press 4 to apply for a re-establishment assistance payment.

Press 9 for an interpreter if you need one or call TIS on 131 450.

In person

Go to an Emergency Relief Centre. Find an Emergency Relief Centre.

What you need to apply

Have personal identification (ID) with you if you can. This could be a:

driver licence
Medicare card
letter or bill with your name and address.

For re-establishment payments, you will also need to show proof of:

your income. For example, a payslip or Centrelink payment summary
your insurance status. For example, a document from your insurance company
the impact on your home, for example, photos of damage or quotes for repairs.

VicEmergency

Visit VicEmergency for relief and recovery centre locations and additional services.

Other wellbeing resources

Our guide

Emergencies in Victoria: Managing emotional wellbeing and accessing Emergency Relief Payments guide (PDF 158 KB)

Emergencies in Victoria: Managing emotional wellbeing and accessing Emergency Relief Payments guide

Translations of Emergencies Victoria: Managing emotional wellbeing accessing Emergency Relief Payment are available in the language below:

Better Health Channel

The Better Health Channel has information on trauma and recovery. Information is available in English and other languages.

Local councils

Your local council may provide wellbeing support. To find your local council, visit Vic Councils' map.

With the recent bushfires, it is understandable if you are feeling concerned and experiencing a mix of strong emotions or physical reactions right now.

For those who have faced bushfires before, this might be a particularly challenging time that is stirring up memories and feelings of sadness, fear, and grief.

Recovery is a personal journey, and everyone experiences things differently. For some people, recovery is ongoing.

Experiencing these emotions is a normal response to such events, but these concerns may lead to other issues if they are not managed.

If you find yourself experiencing strong emotions, talking about your worries and feelings as well as remaining connected to others can make them more manageable. It is important to identify what actions can be taken to address the source of your concerns.

Seeking help is a sign of strength and often the first step in recovery.

If you or someone close to you is feeling overwhelmed:

contact your local doctor (GP)
call Lifeline (13 11 14)
Beyond Blue (1300 224 636).

In an emergency, call 000 (Triple Zero).

Relief and recovery after emergencies and disasters