Financial counselling

Financial counselling services  

You can get counselling with community and local organisations to help you:  

• with your financial problems  
• manage your debt 
• make informed choices about your money in the future. 

These services are voluntary, free and confidential. You can access them: 

• face-to-face 
• by calling the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 (calls from public phones/mobile phones may be timed and charged at a higher rate) 
• by visiting the National Debt Helpline(Opens in a new tab/window) website, including where you can chat online with a Financial Counsellor. 

Financial Counsellors can:  

• negotiate with creditors if you’re having trouble paying your loan, mortgage or credit card repayments 
• advocate with government or non-government organisations 
• explain options when you’re not able to pay bills 
• explain the debt recovery process if you’ve received a letter of demand, a summons, a warrant of execution or a judgment summons and aren’t sure what to do next 
• develop a budgeting plan to suit your circumstances  
• help you build your financial skills  
• provide information on bankruptcy and what to do. 

Financial Counsellors do not provide: 

• financial planning advice 
• finance lending 
• endorsement of specific financial products or services 
• business or legal advice. 

Financial counselling for gambling 

There is financial counselling support designed to help people affected by gambling harm.  

Learn more about financial counselling for gambling. 

Financial capability 

Financial Capability workers:  

• deliver financial literacy education 
• provide information and coaching 
• help people to change their behaviour and ‘learn by doing’.  

Financial Capability services include: 

• helping people with budgeting 
• community education workshops 
• helping people build the skills to avoid or resolve financial difficulties  
• helping people build their financial skills and confidence  
• information on where to get more help if required. 

Financial Capability Workers do not:  

• provide financial counselling 
• provide financial advice 
• deal with complex financial or legal matters.  

Eligibility 

You can access these services if you: 

• can’t pay a bill or are at risk of not being able to pay a bill  
• receive an income support payment 
• are a newly arrived migrant/non-citizen (priority to be given to newly arrived refugees) 
• are a woman experiencing family violence.