Victims Support Scheme

What is the Victims Support Scheme

If you are the victim of an act of violence or modern slavery in NSW, you may be able to get support under the Victims Support Scheme.

The Scheme offers:

• counselling
• payments of up to $5,000 for immediate needs, such as medical bills or moving costs
• payments of up to $30,000 for economic loss, for things like loss of earnings and medical treatment
• a recognition payment
• payments to help with funeral expenses or forensic cleaning.

You may be able to get victims support even if no one was charged or convicted.

For more information, see Types of victims support.

If the offence took place outside of NSW, see Victims support and services outside of NSW on the NSW Government website.

Eligibility

You can apply for support under the Victims Support Scheme if you have been physically or psychologically injured as a direct result of a violent crime. This includes people who have been injured:

• by the crime itself
• trying to stop the crime
• trying to rescue the victim
• trying to arrest the perpetrator.

Victims of modern slavery are also eligible for support under the Victims Support Scheme for incidents that took place in NSW after 1 January 2022.

For more information, see Eligibility for victims support.

How to apply

There are different forms that you need to use, and you will also need different supporting documents  depending on what type of victim support you are applying for.

It is important that you use the correct form/s and give all the necessary supporting documents. If you don’t, your claim might be rejected.

For more information, see Applying for victims support.

Time limits

There are different times limits to applying for victims support depending on:

• the type of support you want
• the crime that was committed, and
• your age when the offence was committed.

Withdrawing your application

You can withdraw your application for victims support at any time before Victims Services makes a decision.

If you withdraw your application, you can make a new application for victims support for the same offence/s later. 

Request an internal review

If you have applied for victims support and are unhappy with the decision of Victims Services, you may be able to apply for an internal review. You must apply within 90 days of the date that you are told about the decision.

For more information, see Victims Services internal review.

Apply for an NCAT review

If you are unhappy with an internal review decision about a recognition payment, you may be able to apply to the administrative and equal opportunity division of NCAT for an administrative review.

You must apply within 28 days from when you are told about the outcome of the internal review.

For more information, see Apply for an NCAT review.

Appeal to the Supreme Court of NSW

If you are unhappy with the decision of NCAT, you may be able to appeal to the Supreme Court of NSW if there has been a legal error. You will need to show that NCAT incorrectly applied the law to your case. The court can’t consider the merits of the decision by NCAT.

You must file your appeal within 28 days of the date of the decision. In some limited circumstances, you may be able to apply for an extension.

Before you appeal, you should get legal advice.

For more information, see Appeal to the Supreme Court of NSW.

Other support

National Redress Scheme

The National Redress Scheme provides critical support to eligible child sexual abuse survivors who were abused while in the care of institutions, including:

• psychological counselling
• a direct personal response from the institution where the abuse occurred, and
• a monetary payment.

The scheme will run until 30 June 2027.

It is separate to the Stolen Generations Reparation Scheme.

For more information, see National Redress Scheme.

Criminal compensation order

A Criminal compensation order is a court order stating that an offender must pay you compensation if you have suffered injury, loss or  property damage because of their offence.

If the offender doesn’t pay the money stated in the order, you can apply to register the order. Then you can take enforcement action against the offender.

If you have already received financial support from Victims Services, you may have to pay it back if a criminal compensation order is made.

For more information, see Criminal compensation order.

Civil claims

You may be able to make a civil claim for damages against the person who committed the crime against you. If you have already brought a civil claim against the offender for compensation you can’t for support under the Victims Support Scheme.

If you have already received financial support from Victims Services, the amount that you get will be reduced by the amount of support you have received.

Civil claims are a complex area of law. Before filing a civil claim, you should get legal advice.

Last updated: March 2026