2021 COVID-19 Lockdown Supports
If you can’t work because you or someone in your household is impacted by COVID-19, support is available.
From 19 July 2021, the Government is enabling childcare services in NSW Local Government Areas subject to stay at home orders to waive gap-fees for parents keeping their children at home due to current COVID-19 restrictions. The gap fee is the difference between the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) the Government pays to a service and the remaining fee paid by the family.
The child-care gap fee waiver is only applicable where the childcare service opts in.
The Local Government Areas were expanded and now cover: City of Sydney, Municipality of Woollahra, City of Randwick, Municipality of Waverley, Bayside Council, Blacktown City Council, Blue Mountains City Council, Municipality of Burwood, Camden Council, Central Coast Council, City of Campbelltown, City of Canada Bay, City of Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland City Council, City of Fairfield, George’s River Council, City of Hawkesbury, Hornsby Shire, Municipality of Hunter’s Hill, Inner West Council, Ku-ring-gai Council, Lane Cove Council, City of Liverpool, Mosman Council, North Sydney Council, Northern Beaches Council, City of Parramatta, City of Penrith, City of Ryde, Shellharbour City Council, Municipality of Strathfield, Sutherland Shire, The Hills Shire, Wollondilly Shire, City of Willoughby, and Wollongong City Council.
The NSW Government has introduced a targeted eviction moratorium to protect residential tenants. The moratorium applies where:
- You have lost work/income because you or a member of your household contracted COVID; or
- Your household’s take home weekly income has reduced by 25% or more (including any government assistance received) compared to the weekly income received in the 4 weeks prior to 26 June 2021; and
- You continue to pay at least 25% of the rent payable.
You will need to show evidence that you meet the eligibility criteria for a rent reduction such as bank statements, documentation from your employer demonstrating stand down or reduced hours, evidence of business closure, Centrelink support confirmation, etc.
See Fair Trading NSW for further details.
60 day freeze on evictions
Tenants who can’t pay their rent in full because they are impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak cannot be evicted between 14 July 2021 and 11 September 2021.
Financial support for landlords
Residential landlords who decrease rent for impacted tenants from 14 July 2021 can apply for a grant of up to $1,500 per tenancy or land tax reductions depending on their circumstances. The land tax relief will be equal to the value of rent reductions provided to financially distressed tenants for up to 100% of the 2021 land tax year liability.
To claim the support, landlords will need a rental bond number or a written tenancy agreement, and a written agreement with the tenant to reduce or waive rent payable (from 14 July 2021).
Where a landlord receives financial support for COVID-19 impacted tenants, they cannot ask tenants to repay the amount of the reduction when lockdown ends.
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We’re available to assist you if you need support.