We understand that unexpected life events such as unemployment, illness, relationship breakdown, or natural disasters can result in financial stress. Financial hardship is when a change in your circumstances makes it difficult for you to manage your debts and make repayments when they are due. If you're experiencing financial difficulty, we encourage you to reach out to us early, so we can help find the right solution for you.
How we can support you through tough times
Our approach is to actively assist any member facing difficult financial circumstances and we offer a range of options to help best suit your needs, including:
- deferral of repayments for an agreed period of time
- tailored payment arrangements, such as reducing the amount of each payment due
- short-term concessional interest rates
- providing interest-only repayment options on loans
- providing fee waivers
- reducing the limit available on credit contracts; and
- suspending recovery processes to allow you time to get back on your feet
How to apply
If you find yourself unable to maintain repayments within the terms of your credit contract with us or are worried about your situation, please contact us as soon as possible so we can better understand how we can help you. You can contact us using one of the options below or by completing the Financial Hardship Form. It’s important to contact us if your circumstances change, even if it’s only short term.
We also understand that at times you may like to have a friend, relative or third party representative such as a financial counsellor deal with us, on your behalf. Should this be the case, we require written authority to discuss your personal and account information first to maintain your privacy and then can work together to get you back on track.
When you apply for assistance, our Financial Hardship team will assess your situation and look at options that may be available to you – whether that’s giving you a hand in the short term or setting you up for the long term. They will also advise on the next steps and any documentation required, depending on your circumstances.
External support services
In addition to contacting us, you may also find these government and community support services helpful if you’re experiencing financial hardship:
