Getting help for financial hardship |
If you are going through financial difficulty, or you cannot get access to credit, several options are available to you.
Financial advice
You can get free financial counselling through community organisations and some government agencies.
Financial counsellors give you information and assistance about your financial rights and responsibilities. This may include analysing and assessing your financial position, and giving you information about credit, debt and insolvency issues.
In some cases, financial counsellors can advocate and negotiate with creditors on your behalf.
Using a licensed financial advisor can help you:
- identify your goals
- make more informed decisions about your money
- use and protect your money to your best advantage
- choose products that suit your needs and circumstances.
The following websites provide a search facility to locate financial counselling services in Queensland:
- Australian and Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)
- Legal Aid Queensland (search result for financial counselling)
Please note: this may not be a complete list of financial counselling services within the state of Queensland.
Urgent assistance
If you need urgent assistance, consider contacting these departments and organisations.
Centrelink
Get support and financial assistance through services including rent assistance, direct bill paying services and crisis payments for people in severe financial hardship.
You could be eligible for a financial allowance to meet day-to-day living costs if you are studying, job seeking, widowed or caring for a child.
Queensland Department of Housing and Public Works (Housing Services)
You may be eligible for a bond loan, which is an interest-free loan for people who can´t afford to pay a full rental bond.
If you are having trouble making home loan repayments due to unforeseen circumstances, you could be eligible for a mortgage relief loan.
Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment
If you live in a remote area and have a child who has to board away from home to attend school, you could be eligible for financial assistance.
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
The office has a free financial counselling service specifically for primary producers.
Get help managing drought, seasonal conditions, natural disasters, industry reform, low prices and changing rural credit policies.
Charities and community organisations
You could also get assistance from community organisations such as St Vincent de Paul, Lifeline, Red Cross and the Salvation Army.
They offer food vouchers, clothing, furniture, accommodation vouchers, and assistance paying for utility bills, housing, public transport fares, medical expenses and educational expenses.
No Interest Loan Scheme
The No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) provides interest free loans for individuals or families living on low incomes. It is a community-based program that enables you to access fair, safe and equitable credit for the purchase of essential goods and services. Eligibility criteria varies between each organisation.
Please contact your nearest NILS provider for advice on your eligibility to access a NILS interest free loan.
NILS providers
Statewide:
- St Vincent de Paul
Phone: 07 3010 1096 - Carers Queensland
Phone: 1800 242 636 for your nearest office - Muscular Dystrophy Association of Queensland
Phone: 07 3607 1800
Regional:
North Queensland
- Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network (ICAN)
(Palm Island, Thursday Island, Yarrabah)
Phone: 07 4031 1073 - Mareeba NILS
Phone: 07 4092 1948 - Port Douglas NILS
Phone: 07 4099 5518 - Ravenshoe NILS
Phone: 07 4097 6726 - Shelter Housing Action Cairns (SHAC)
Phone: 07 4080 7400 - Tablelands Womens Centre NILS
Phone: 07 4091 5100 - Townsville NILS
Phone: 07 4772 1450
Brisbane
- Bardon
Phone: 07 3510 2700 - Spring Hill - Wesley Mission Brisbane
Phone: 07 3221 6788 - Runcorn NILS - Kyabra Community Association
Phone: 07 3373 9499 - Wynnum - St Peters Community Service Fund NILS
Phone: 07 3348 7598 - Mitchelton NILS - Picabeen Community Centre
Phone: 07 3354 2555
Gold Coast
- Coolangatta-Palm Beach NILS
Phone: 07 5534 2115 - Seeds of Hope NILS
Phone: 07 5525 2535
Ipswich and West
- Goodna NILS - Goodna Neighbourhood House
Phone: 07 3271 1820 - Booval NILS - Booval Community Service NILS
Phone: 07 3816 3170 - Laidley NILS - Laidley Shire Community Care
Phone: 07 5465 1889 - Elorac Place NILS
Phone: 07 3271 3592 - Goondiwindi - Care Goondiwindi Association NILS
Phone: (07) 4670 0700 - Miles - Miles NILS
Phone: (07) 4627 2027 - Mount Isa - Mount Isa Family Support Service & Neighbourhood Centre NILS
Phone: (07) 4743 4506 - Roma - Roma Neighbourhood Centre NILS
Telephone: (07) 4624 0800
Logan area
- Beenleigh NILS - Community Care Beenleigh Districts
Phone: 07 3807 7355 - Beenleigh NILS - Canefields Clubhouse Beenleigh Inc NILS
Phone: 07 38070951 - Caddies NILS (Jimboomba)
Phone: 07 5547 9797 - Logan East NILS
Phone: 07 3808 4529 - Multilink NILS
Phone: 07 3808 4463
Central Queensland
- Biloela - Banana Shire NILS
Phone: (07) 4492 3322 - Bowen NILS
Phone: 07 4786 2111 - Mackay - Mackay Women's Centre NILS
Phone: (07) 4953 1788 - Mackay - Mackay Community NILS
Phone: (07) 4957 2626
Whitsunday NILS
Phone: 07 4946 7850
Banks and financial institutions
Some financial institutions offer products to assist financially disadvantaged consumers, such as savings-incentive products and concessions on bank fees. Some credit unions offer short-term loans for as little as $200, with terms starting at three months.
Utility service providers
Various utility service providers have arrangements for people having trouble paying utility bills. Ask your service provider about payment plan options.
Student unions
Student unions provide short-term emergency loans, financial counselling and referral services.
Last reviewed 03/06/2013 |
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