There is now financial support of up to $750 if you are required to isolate due to COVID-19. The Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment is a lump sum to help cover lost income while infected/or caring for someone infected with COVID-19.
People who stand to lose work because they're isolating due to being infected or being a close contact are eligible for the payment.
You are also eligible if you are caring for a child under the age of 16 who is a close contact or has the virus, or you are caring for someone with a disability or severe medical condition who is isolating as a close contact of someone with COVID-19.
You may be able to receive the payment if;
You have to self-isolate or quarantine for one of the following reasons:
- you have coronavirus (COVID-19), for isolation periods starting before 10 January 2022, you must have been directly informed you have COVID-19 by a health official
- you’re informed by a health official that you’re a close contact with a person who has COVID-19
- you care for a child, 16 years or under, who has COVID-19
- you’re informed by a health official that a child you care for who is 16 years or under, is a close contact with a person who has COVID-19
- you’re caring for someone who has COVID-19
- you’re caring for someone with disability or a severe medical condition who must self-isolate or quarantine because they’re a close contact of a person with COVID-19.
From Monday 10 January 2022, both Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) results will be accepted.
You’ll need to have either:
- advice of a positive test from a testing clinic or health professional
- evidence you’ve registered a positive result from a home-administered RAT with your state health authority.
If you need ongoing financial help, check to see what other payments you may be eligible to get by using the Payment and Service Finder.
Read more about who can get it.
Source: Australian Government