Compassionate Grounds

To pay current and future expenses for medical treatment or medical transport for yourself or a dependant. In accordance with the Commonwealth legislation, the treatment is not readily available to you or the dependant through the public health system and the medical treatment must be necessary to:

i. treat a life threatening illness or injury, or

ii. alleviate acute, or chronic, pain, or

iii. alleviate an acute, or chronic, mental disturbance.

Funds cannot be released for medical transport unless the necessity of the medical treatment is certified by two medical practitioners in the manner set out above.

Documentary Evidence Required

You must provide certification from two registered medical practitioners (at least one of whom must be a specialist) to support the necessity of the medical treatment and copies of any unpaid medical bills or estimates from your doctor of future expenses.

To allow you to make a payment on a loan to prevent the following: 

i. foreclosure of a mortgage on your principal place of residence, or,

ii. exercise by the mortgagee of an express, or statutory, power of sale over your principal residence.

Please note that you can only apply once within a 12 month period (beginning on the date of the first payment released on this ground) and the amount cannot exceed the sum of three months’ repayments and/or 12 months’ interest on the outstanding balance of the loan. 

Documentary Evidence Required

You must provide a written statement from the mortgagee (ie your bank or lender) that you require funds on this ground. The statement must include the following information: 

a. The amount that is equal to 3 months’ repayments under the mortgage and 

b. The amount that is 12 months’ interest on the outstanding balance of the loan at the time the statement is made. 

c. The payment is overdue and if the payment is not made, the mortgagee will foreclose on the mortgage of the principal place of residence or exercise its express or statutory power of sale over the principal place of residence. 

To pay for expenses associated with palliative care for yourself or a dependant in the case of impending death or to pay for expenses associated with a dependant’s death, funeral or burial. 

Documentary Evidence Required

You must provide a letter from a medical practitioner to confirm that you or your dependant have a terminal illness and that palliative care is required and detailed quotes and/or invoices for the required care; OR You must provide the death certificate for your dependant or a current letter from a registered doctor confirming the death and naming the deceased. You must also provide proof of expenses associated with the death/funeral/burial of your dependant. 

To pay for modifications to your principal place of residence, or vehicle, to accommodate your special needs or the special needs of your dependant as a result of a severe disability .

Documentary Evidence Required

You must provide a letter from a medical practitioner or professional carer to support the proposed modifications to your home or vehicle and provide a quote for the cost of the modifications. 

Must be a medical doctor or specialist registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. Physiotherapists, psychologists, chiropractors and occupational therapists are not registered medical practitioners and their reports are not considered to be certified evidence, but they can supply additional information.

Must be a registered medical/dental practitioner who has had further medical training, holds further qualifications and is a fellow of a specialist medical college or is registered in their state as a specialist. This includes a consultant physician. Any specialist giving an opinion should be specialised in the area in which they are giving that opinion. Consultant physicians should clearly state their areas of specialisation in the certification. 

Where it is likely that within 12 months the patient will die or suffer an irreversible degeneration of a condition that if left untreated would result in premature death if the individual does not receive the recommended treatment. 

Includes transport (land, water, air) to access medical treatment such as taxi, public transport, vehicle repairs and running costs or the purchase of a reliable second-hand vehicle. The certification also needs to confirm that the transport is required to access medical treatment, the frequency of the medical treatment, the location of the medical appointments and the length of time the treatment is required.