Free legal help for people affected by bushfires

People affected by the 2019/2020 NSW bushfires and other disasters can get free legal help. 

The Legal Aid NSW Disaster Response Legal Service can help with: 

• Insurance claims and disputes
• Financial hardship
• Centrelink
• Tenancy problems
• Your rights at work
• Replacing important documents
• Domestic violence advice
• Other every day legal problems

Call the hotline on 1800 801 529 or visit the DLRS website for more information. 

Disaster Response Legal Service NSW

Help for farmers and small business owners

Funding is available for legal assistance to NSW primary producers and small businesses dealing with legal issues relating to the 2019/2020 bushfires. 

If you are an eligible small business owner or primary producer, your solicitor can apply for funding to assist you to resolve your legal matter arising from the 2019/20 bushfires. The funding is available for legal issues including:

• Insurance disputes
• Commercial leases
• Contract disputes
• Planning and building law
• Local Government disputes
• Entitlements to government grants and schemes
• Credit and debt
• Banking
• Fencing issues
• Property law
• Employment law issues for employers

Find out more

Other sources of help

Financial Rights Legal Centre

The Financial Rights Legal Centre is a community legal centre specialising in insurance and financial services. They provide advice, minor assistance and representation services. They can assist consumers, farmers, primary producers and small businesses impacted by natural disasters, including COVID 19, bushfire, hail, storm and drought.

For insurance related issues, call 1300 663 464 or go to the Insurance Law Service website.

For credit and debt related issues, call 1800 007 007 or go to the Financial Rights Legal Centre website

Justice Connect

Justice Connect is a legal services organisation that connects people with legal help. It is supporting bushfire affected small businesses, farms and not-for-profit organisations by connecting them to its network of 10,000 pro bono lawyers.

You can apply for free legal help from a pro bono lawyer on Justice Connect’s Bushfire Community Support page.