Emergency Relief

CMCS provides Emergency relief to assist people to improve their financial capacity and resilience and help them deal with immediate financial difficulties in a way that maintains the dignity of the person and encourage self – reliance.

 As a result of the outbreak of COVID-19 many people are struggling to make ends meet. In response CMCS will be increasing our Emergency Relief program for the foreseeable future.  Please contact us for further information.

Emergency Relief provides limited assistance with energy and water bills, 

EAPA – (Energy Accounts Payment Assistance)  appointments are taken for each Tuesday.  We see clients between 9.30 and 12noon. 

Energy (Electricity and Gas) Bills

Please read this carefully, as we can only assist if you do the following:

  • You must ring and book an appointment for an EAPA assessment.  
  • The account must be for residential (not commercial) premises in one of the eligible suburbs listed below.  The bill must be for your CURRENT address. 
  • EAPA will not authorize assistance to bills from previous addresses that you no longer reside in.
  • The person whose name is on the bill must attend the appointment in person.
  • The person who attends the appointment must bring a CURRENT Centrelink income statement for every member of the household, along with the ORIGINAL BILL.  Reminders and disconnection notices are NOT acceptable.
  • The person who attends the appointment must present a CURRENT healthcare card, pension card or ImmiCard. 

TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR EAPA WITH OUR OFFICE, THE ADDRESS ON YOUR BILL MUST BE IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING SUBURBS:

  • Chester Hill
  • Girraween
  • Granville / South Granville
  • Greystanes
  • Guildford / Guildford West
  • Holroyd
  • Mays Hill
  • Merrylands / Merrylands West
  • Pemulwuy
  • Pendle Hill
  • Prospect
  • Toongabbie
  • Wentworthville / South Wentworthville
  • Westmead
  • Wood Park

WE CANNOT ASSIST ANYONE WHO FAILS TO BRING A CURRENT CENTRELINK INCOME STATEMENT, HEALTHCARE, PENSION OR IMMICARD, OR ORIGINAL BILL.

Water Bills

CMCS is able to assist with excess water bills in some cases.

  • The person seeking assistance must either be the owner of the premises, or have a tenancy agreement in their name, that says they are responsible for paying excess water charges
  • Assistance is not done by way of vouchers, but through an interview with a community worker. 
  • Both EAPA Vouchers and Water Assistance are made by APPOINTMENT ONLY.

For assistance with electricity, gas or water bills, contact Emily on 9637-7600.