Rent Choice Veterans

Do you need help finding and paying for a place to live?

The NSW Government has a program for former members of the permanent Australian Defence Force called Rent Choice Veterans.

In partnership with RSL DefenceCare, the program supports eligible veterans and their families to:

• find a rental property,
• get a lease or stay in their current accommodation,
• pay the rent for up to three years, and
• gain skills and work opportunities to support financial independence

Who can get Rent Choice Veterans?

You might be eligible for Rent Choice Veterans if you:

• don’t have a place to live (you might be sleeping on a couch, in a shelter, boarding house, or at risk of homelessness)
• are an Australian Citizen or Australian permanent resident
• want to work or complete training to help obtain a job
• are within the income eligibility limits.

How does it work?

For the first 12 months, you pay 25% of your weekly household income plus 100% of any Commonwealth Rent Assistance you may be entitled to get. To work out your weekly income we include your wages, government allowances, benefits and child support payments.

Once you have paid your part of the rent, we pay the rest directly to the landlord or real estate agent. The amount you pay will go up gradually after 12 months, but we’ll chat to you about that closer to the time.

Your income can increase and you may still continue to receive Rent Choice Veterans. That will depend on how much your income goes up by.

Affordability

Rent Choice Veterans can only be paid if the rent is affordable. When considering what is affordable for you, take into account your weekly income plus 100% of any Commonwealth Rent Assistance you may be eligible for.

What other housing support can I receive?

You may also be eligible for other support to help with setting up your new home, or to pay for education, training or work related needs while in the Rent Choice Veterans Program.

What is Commonwealth Rent Assistance?

This is a weekly payment given to eligible people who rent in the private or community housing market. Read more about CRA or visit your local Centrelink for information.

How do I find out more?

Whether you have a question, want to know more, or need to discuss your options, please contact us.

RSL DefenceCare
8088 0388
Level 5 120 Pacific Highway,
St Leonards NSW 2065

Link2Home Veterans Ex-Service
1800 326 989

Download

You can download a copy of the Fact Sheet: Rent Choice Veterans