The Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) is replacing the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal (VOCAT).
VOCAT has stopped accepting new applications. It will continue to process existing (pending) applications.
You now need to go to the FAS online portal to lodge your expenses and make changes to your VOCAT award.
Withdraw your VOCAT application and apply through FAS
For the full details of FAS eligibility for previous VOCAT applicants, see the FAS Guidelines.
Payment for outstanding expenses from VOCAT
Your VOCAT award may include expenses which you have not claimed yet. These are known as authorised future expenses and can be paid once a receipt or invoice for the expense is provided.
From 18 November 2024, you can request payment for these expenses from the FAS.
How to apply to the FAS for payment of VOCAT authorised future expenses
You will need to complete an application to transition your VOCAT award to the FAS through the FAS online portal to claim authorised future expenses from your interim or final VOCAT award.
Once your transition application is complete and registration is confirmed, you can submit your invoices and receipts through the FAS online portal. You must do this, not your service provider. The FAS will then pay your service provider.
If you do not have outstanding authorised future expenses from your VOCAT interim award, you do not need to complete an application to transition your VOCAT award to the FAS. You can make a new application to the FAS through the FAS online portal.
Making changes to your award
You can make a new change to your VOCAT award by applying to FAS.
If you have already submitted a change to VOCAT before 18 November 2024, VOCAT will process your application. VOCAT will not accept any new applications.
Changes that are consistent with the original award are called minor variations. They include seeking more of the same type of treatment, such as additional counselling sessions. You can request as many minor changes as you need.
If you need to request a new type of assistance, this is called a substantive variation. You can only request one substantive variation.
Substantive variations include:
- a new type of expense, such as requesting financial help for safety-related expenses when your original application only covered medical expenses
- changing the type of assistance, such as requested medical expenses for physiotherapy instead of dental surgery.
See the FAS guidelines for more information on applying to vary a VOCAT award.
Evidence you will need
For the FAS to vary a VOCAT award, you must show that you have fresh evidence or your circumstances have changed since the VOCAT decision.
You will need to provide evidence to show how:
- your circumstances have changed
- further assistance will help you recover.
See the FAS guidelines for more information on applying to vary a VOCAT award.
Time limits for variations
If you were 18 years or older when VOCAT made your final award, you have 6 years from when you received your final VOCAT award to apply for a variation.
If you were under 18 years old when VOCAT made your final award, you have until you are 24 years old to apply for a variation.
How to apply
- Transition your VOCAT award to FAS using the FAS online portal.
- Download and complete the VOCAT variation application form (see below).
- Follow the instructions on the form to submit your request.
Both minor and substantive changes can be made through the VOCAT variation form.
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 for a variation.
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