How to claim the $500 COVID-19 Disaster Payment as eligibility for Sydney residents expands.
Residents of Sydney who have been unable to find work as a result of the lockdown are now eligible for a $500 emergency payment.
According to the federal definition, Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly last week designated the City of Sydney, Waverley, Woollahra, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West, and Randwick as COVID-19 hotspots.
Residents in those areas who qualify for the payment will begin receiving it on July 1.
The COVID-19 Disaster Payment is a one-time cash payment made in the event of a lockdown lasting at least seven days and for each subsequent period of lockdown.
Those who miss less than 20 hours of work may be eligible for $325.
They are eligible for a $500 payment if they have lost more than 20 hours of work during the lockdown period.
To be eligible, applicants must work or reside in one of the council areas listed above and have no more than $10,000 in liquid assets.
Additionally, they cannot be receiving other forms of support.
In the coming days, more Australians will be eligible for the payment.
Residents of the remainder of Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, and Wollongong will be eligible for the payment on July 4, one week after they were also designated as hotspots.
Residents must have a MyGov account linked to a Centrelink online account in order to apply for the payment.
Before submitting a claim, users will be required to respond to a series of questions verifying their eligibility.
The Greater Sydney area, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, and Wollongong are currently on lockdown for two weeks.
On July 9, the lockdown is scheduled to end.
On Thursday, NSW Health reported 24 new cases of COVID-19.
Over half of those infected spent at least part of their infectious period in the community, resulting in an increase in exposure sites.
