EI Financial Assistance available
Grants AvailableEquine Influenza Hardship Grants - 1800 670 051 Click here for important notice 16/1/08 |
| The Australian Government has established a $4million fund ($2.5 million for NSW) to provide emergency grants up to $1500 are available to individuals whose livelihood is dependent on horses and are suffering financial difficulty as a result of the Equine Influenza (EI) outbreak. |
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Eligibility:
You will need to demonstrate that your primary source of income has suffered as a direct results of the Equine Influenza outbreak. What does it pay for? Grants of up to $1500 are available to pay for household expenses eg. food, vehicle maintenance, school expenses, electricity, rates and telephone expenses. Unpaid bills will need to be presented and payment will be sent directly to the supplier. Footnote: There may be people who have not applied for the EI Hardship Fund set up to pay $1500 worth of unpaid urgent household expenses and bills. Eligible applicants are those who can prove that their involvement with the horse industry is their primary source of income. Grants are available to meet urgent household expenses such as food, vehicle maintenance, school expenses, medical/dental payments, rent and mortgage, rates, electricity and phone. Please note that accounts/bills from trainers for feed, shoeing and veterinary are being rejected as these are payments which may be passed on to owners. Please keep the focus on personal household bills. Grants are not available for recreational/hobby individuals. How do I apply? |
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Call the EI Hotline 1800 670 051 and they will send you forms, alternatively download the form below and fax to 1800 467 042 or mail to Equine Influenza Hardship Grant, Level 7, 51 Druitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000 |
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The funds will be administered through Racing NSW |
Equine Workers Hardship Wage Supplement Payment - 1800 234 002...please note, you must ask for this particular assistance by this exact name and it is preferable to call the equine hotline number rather than visit Centrelink to ensure you are given the correct information.
The Equine Workers Hardship Wage Supplement Payment will be paid fortnightly to individuals who have lost their primary source of income, which is derived directly from the commercial horse industry, and whose income has been affected by Equine Influenza outbreak and the associated quarantine and movement restrictions.
This includes:
- workers involved in commercial horse dependent industries who have lost their job or most of their income, and
- sole-traders whose incomes have effectively ceased (transport operators, riding coaches, farriers etc).
The payment will be the equivalent of the Newstart Allowance ($424.30 per fortnight for singles). Applicants will have to satisfy an income test, but will not be subject to any assets or activity tests.
The Payment will be made for up to 12 weeks from the date of declaration of the Equine Influenza outbreak - 25 August 2007 in NSW and QLD. Backdating to the date of the original standstill orders will be available if applications are received within 8 weeks from the declaration date.
Application forms and further information on the Equine Workers Hardship Wage Supplement will be available on the Centrelink website or by calling the Equine Influenza Hotline on 1800 234 002.
Equine Influenza Business Assistance Grant - 1800 234 002...please note, you must ask for this particular assistance by this exact name and it is preferable to call the equine hotline number rather than visit centrelink to ensure you are given the correct information.
A business assistance grant of $5000 is available for businesses which:
- derive the majority of their income from the commercial horse industry,
- have occurred additional costs to implement the quarantine measure, and
- have experienced a significant downturn in income.
The Equine Influenza Business Assistance Grant (EIBAG) will provide businesses with flexibility to identify their own financial priorities.
Application forms and further information on the Equine Influenza Business Assistance Grant will be available on the Centrelink website or by calling the Equine Influenza Hotline on 1800 234 002.
Mortgage Assistance for those effected by Equine Influenza - 1800 806 653
The NSW Mortgage Assistance scheme provides short-term help for people experiencing temporary difficulties with loan repayments as a result of unavoidable change in circumstances. This change may be due to unemployment, accident, illness or some other crisis. Mortgage Assistance is not a grant but a loan to be repaid at a future time. The maximum loan is $12 000. More information and application forms can be found on the NSW Department of Housing website. Phone 1800 806 653 (freecall) or email mas@housing.nsw.gov.au.
Commercial Horse Assistance Payment (CHAP)- 1800 859 611 Click here for more info and the application forms
A Commercial Horse Assistance Payment (CHAP) will be available to primary carers whose racing, harness or professional equestrian competition horses have been unable to undertake their normal activities, and could otherwise have generated an income, if not for the quarantine restrictions in place.
This payment will make sure horses receive adequate care, and remain fit and healthy during the current quarantine restrictions, so that all horse industries can make a swift and full recovery as soon as the standstill is lifted.
It is estimated that up to 10,000 horses in the ACT, NSW and QLD will be eligible for assistance, if as a result of quarantine restrictions, they are not able to engage in activities that could potentially earn an income.
CHAP will be administered by the EFA NSW for the sport and leisure horse (non-racing) industry.
Payments based on a daily rate will be paid to horse carers on a fortnightly basis.
Daily rates are as follows: Please see footnote
- Other commercial non-racing horses $20
This assistance is offered to provide for the WELFARE and on going maintenance of horses to ensure they remain fit and healthy and be ready to return to normal activity as soon as the standstill is lifted. It is offered as a SUBSIDY to owners and was never designed to cover the full costs of having a horse. It is assumed that the owner will still have to bear some of the costs during the time that a horse is unable to undertake its normal competitive programme.
Obviously a competition horse suffering from and recovering from EI will not be in full work, or any work at all, but will require supervision and maintenance and the figure of $20
CHAP is not intended to reflect "Horse in Training" costs.
This assistance is to enable equestrians to maintain horses which would have been either, in competition, for sale or used for teaching purposes.
The amount given per day for the racing industry recognises that on some tracks horses can still race.
Equestrian horses cannot compete in the present circumstances.
Grants for non-government, not-for-profit equestrian organisations
Grants of up to $200,000 will be available to equestrian organisations who have, in addition to the provision of voluntary services by their members or affiliates, incurred expenses directly related to the outbreak of Equine Influenza and the resulting quarantine restrictions.
Assistance will also be available for non-government not-for-profit equestrian organisations that have incurred additional expenses during the equine influenza outbreak, resulting from assistance and services provided during quarantine restrictions.
To apply, organisations must provide a written submission to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry by 17 December 2007.
For details about the eligibility criteria and the application process read these Guidelines 
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Additional information is available by calling the Equine Influenza Hotline on 1800 234 002.
Click here for the official media release
