About the Household Resilience Program

The Household Resilience Program assists eligible homeowners in coastal parts of Central and Northern Queensland to improve the resilience of their homes against cyclones.

Owner-occupiers who live in a house built before 1984 and are located within 50 kilometres of the coastline from Bundaberg to the Queensland/Northern Territory border, can apply to receive a Queensland Government grant of 80% of the cost of improvements (up to a maximum grant value of $15,000, including GST).

The program is funded by the Australian Government, and administered by the Queensland Government Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works.

Benefits of the program

The Household Resilience Program benefits homeowners, contractors and businesses in areas of regional Queensland.

In previous phases, more than 400 businesses have been engaged to complete works. Most contractors have been sourced directly from the local community.

Homeowners who previously participated in the program have also benefited. They have reported:

  • cost of living benefits – opportunities created for downward pressure on insurance premiums
  • security benefits – feeling more secure in their homes and better prepared for a severe weather event or cyclone.

Eligible improvement works

Specific improvement works are eligible under the Household Resilience Program.

These works must be completed on existing structures to meet the program objectives of increasing cyclone resilience for homes built before 1984.

Extensions to existing structures and replacement of structures are not eligible for grant funding.

Read about the improvement types that are eligible under the program:

How the funding works

Co-contribution arrangement

The Household Resilience Program operates through a co-contribution arrangement.

Funding covers 80% of the costs of eligible household improvement works, up to $15,000 including GST.

Approved homeowners must make a minimum 20% co-contribution towards the works. This is paid directly to the contractor once the work is completed.

Here is an example of how it works:

Maximum grant $15,000 (80%) + Homeowner co-contribution $3,750 (20%)
= Total works cost $18,750

Improvements covered by the program

The minimum value of works eligible for grant funding is $3,300.

The eligible homeowner:

Our assessors review the quote and visit the site to confirm that the proposed improvements will increase cyclone resilience for a reasonable cost.

Payments

We pay the grant funding directly to the contractor after they complete the approved home improvements satisfactorily. The homeowner then pays the co-contribution amount and any outstanding costs not covered by the grant.

Homeowners may be able to arrange a loan from a financial provider to fund all or part of this cost. Please contact your financial institution.

Next steps

Resources

Factsheets:

Contacts

For more information about the Household Resilience Program: