Public housing and community housing tenants are being advised State or Federal one-off payments or increases to statutory payments in response to COVID-19 will not be included in eligibility assessments for social housing.
They will also not be included in the 25 per cent of assessable income used for rent calculation purposes.
Where most Commonwealth payments or benefits are considered as assessable incomes for the purposes of determining eligibility and rent charges for social housing, the State Government has adopted a policy that:
- all State or Federal one-off payments or increases to statutory payments in response to COVID-19 will not be included in eligibility assessments for social housing.
- all State or Federal one-off payments or increases to statutory payments in response to COVID-19 will not be included in the 25 per cent of assessable income used for rent calculation purposes.
These settings apply to all public housing and community housing tenants and applicants.
As stated by Housing Minister Peter Tinley:
“The nation is facing a series of extraordinary circumstances created from the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Federal Government has taken action to support those most vulnerable in our community, which includes increases to national Jobseeker Payments and providing one-off payments to specific cohorts.
“These payments and increases are not deemed to be permanent and are in response to many recipients of payments being significantly impacted by COVID-19 such as reduced or terminated employment, additional cost of living due to restrictions and shortages, or the inability to seek employment and maintain private rentals.
“On that basis these payments and increases will not affect people’s eligibility for social housing, or the calculation of rent for social housing.”
