A variation application is a request to change the assistance paid by the FAS. The FAS can vary assistance for many reasons, this could be because the victim needs:
- to change the conditions of the assistance, such as needing to attend a new psychologist or counsellor
- to change the amount of assistance, such as needing an increase in assistance to cover an increase in a service provider’s costs, or
- a new type of assistance, such as where a victim’s needs or circumstances have changed or they have fresh evidence, and they would now like to request different or additional assistance.
For the avoidance of doubt, if an applicant does not have all the necessary evidence on hand to submit a full and complete application, they can apply for interim assistance (i.e. safety-related, counselling or medical assistance, or funeral expenses) to meet any immediate needs they may have and then, if that application is approved and finalised, make a variation application for any additional assistance once they have all the necessary evidence on hand (effectively delaying the full submission of their application and submitting it as a variation).
These examples are not a complete list, and the FAS can vary assistance for many different reasons to respond to victims’ needs.
The FAS can only pay assistance up to an applicant’s maximum assistance cap, which is $61,499 for primary victims and $51,249 for secondary victims and related victims.[1] When applying to the FAS for a variation, applicants must:
- have already received assistance from the FAS which is to be varied
- apply within the relevant time limits, as the FAS cannot extend time to apply for variation
- have fresh 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.
FAS variation process
Footnotes
[1] These amounts are indexed each financial year in accordance with section 72 of the Act.
Updated