Apply to change your Financial Assistance Scheme application outcome

Variations

After you receive the outcome of your application, you may want to apply for a change to your financial assistance. This is also known as a variation.

You can ask for a variation because you need:

• to change the conditions of the assistance (for example, needing to see a new psychologist or counsellor with a different cost)
• to increase the amount of assistance (for example, needing more money because a service provider’s costs have gone up)
• a new type of assistance if your situation has changed, and you now require something different or extra.

Variation of FAS assistance

You can apply for a variation of your FAS assistance by completing the below application form, which has instructions on how to submit your variation application.

You can also contact the FAS Helpline on 1800 161 136 between 8:30am – 5:30pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays) for information on how to apply.

When applying to FAS for a variation, you must:

• have already received assistance from FAS
• apply within the relevant time limits
• have new evidence or changed circumstances explaining why further assistance is needed, and
• explain how the further assistance will assist in their recovery from the violent act.

For a variation decision, FAS will take into account:

• any new evidence that is available since the decision to pay the assistance was made
• any change of circumstances that has occurred since the decision to pay the assistance was made
• anything else that the scheme decision maker considers relevant.

See our legal guidelines for more information on Variation of FAS assistance.

Time limits for FAS assistance variations

If you were 18 years or older when the original decision to pay the assistance was made, you must apply for a variation within 10 years of that original decision.

If you were under 18 years old when the FAS made the original decision, you have until you turn 28 years old to apply for a variation.