Practical support to help you manage financial stress and build greater financial stability.
Financial pressure can happen to anyone. Whether you're struggling with bills, managing debt, replacing an essential household item or finding it difficult to pay your energy account, we're here to help.
Our Financial Inclusion team provides free, confidential services that can help you understand your options, access practical support and work towards greater financial security.
Not sure which service you need? That's okay. We'll take the time to understand your situation and connect you with the support that's right for you.
Three steps from first enquiry to meals at your door. If you're arranging this for a parent or relative, you can do all of it on their behalf.
All three Financial Inclusion services run by phone and appointment, so give us a call to get started.
We'll work out which service fits your situation, or connect you with more than one if that's what you need.
If your situation calls for more than a one off, we'll stay involved with you.
If any of these sound like you, we can help — get in touch.
Free, confidential support to help you understand your financial situation, manage debt, negotiate with creditors and explore your available options.
Short-term assistance to help eligible households experiencing immediate financial crisis pay their electricity or gas bills.
Interest-free loans of up to $2,000 for essential goods and services, with no fees, charges or interest.
Financial Counselling Outreach runs at our Drummoyne and Homebush venues on a rotating fortnightly schedule, 9:30am–4:30pm. Bookings preferred — call ahead to confirm a slot.
Financial Counselling is our free, confidential service for anyone dealing with financial hardship, whatever's behind it. That might be gambling related debt, overdue bills, or falling behind on credit cards and mortgage repayments. Whatever the situation, our financial counsellors are there to help you work through it.
Every situation calls for something different. That might mean putting together your financial position for a lender, negotiating a payment plan with a creditor, or simply talking through the options in front of you so you can make an informed decision. With your consent, we can also advocate directly on your behalf with banks, creditors or utility providers, taking some of that pressure off your shoulders.
No Interest Loans (NILS) provide loans of up to $2,000 with no interest, fees or charges to help cover essential purchases, including:
Eligibility requirements apply, including income criteria. You may also be eligible if you've experienced family or domestic violence within the past 10 years or hold an eligible concession card.
Our team will guide you through the application process and help determine whether a loan is suitable for your circumstances.
Energy Accounts Payment Assistance helps if you're struggling to pay your current electricity or gas bill because of a short term financial crisis or emergency. Rather than a cash payment, an EAPA voucher is sent electronically straight to your energy retailer to help cover part of your bill.
This is short term support, designed to help with a specific bill during a specific crisis rather than an ongoing solution. To be eligible, you'll need to be the account holder for a NSW residential address and be experiencing genuine financial hardship that's affected your ability to pay.
Bookings open twice a month and are phone appointment only, so it's worth calling ahead of time to check availability and start your application.
If you're dealing with debt or just want to talk through your options, start with Financial Counselling. If you need help covering a specific essential item and can manage regular repayments, No Interest Loans may be the better fit. If it's your energy bill causing the pressure right now, Energy Accounts Payment Assistance can help.
If you're still not sure, get in touch anyway. We'll help you work out the right fit.
Our Financial Inclusion team brings together financial counsellors with deep experience supporting people through financial hardship, based across our Bankstown and Campsie offices. The team offers both phone and face to face appointments, and works alongside people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds as a matter of course.
All our financial counsellors are certified, and registered with the Financial Counsellors' Association of NSW (FCAN). Our No Interest Loans Scheme is delivered in partnership with Good Shepherd Microfinance, and our Financial Counselling and Energy Accounts Payment Assistance services are supported by the Department of Social Services and the Office of Fair Trading.
Tell us a little about your situation and we’ll be in touch. All enquiries are confidential.
Not ready to fill in a form? Call us on (02) 9789 3744 — our team can answer questions confidentially.
Prefer to talk? Call 02) 9789 3744, Mon–Fri 9am–5pm. Financial issues can carry stigma — a phone call is often an easier first step, and everything you tell us stays confidential.
Call (02) 9789 3744 or (02) 8709 0200 to speak with our Financial Inclusion team to find the right service for you.
Financial Counselling and Energy Accounts Payment Assistance are both free. No Interest Loans have no interest and no fees, so you only repay what you borrow.
Financial Counselling is funded for Burwood, Bayside, Canada Bay, Canterbury Bankstown, Georges River, Inner West and Strathfield, though we’ll still see people from outside these areas where we can. No Interest Loans and Energy Accounts Payment Assistance have their own area requirements, so check the relevant service page for details.
Yes. If your situation calls for it, we can connect you with more than one Financial Inclusion service.
You’re welcome to get in touch yourself for any of these services. Referral pathways vary a little between each one, so check the relevant page for details, or just give us a call and we’ll point you in the right direction.
No, our financial counsellors aren’t financial advisers or accountants and can’t give formal tax or legal advice. We can refer you to Legal Aid if that’s what you need.
Yes. Everything you tell our Financial Inclusion team is kept confidential, and we’ll only act on your behalf with your consent.
Metro Assist and Community Action for Better Living (CABL) are now Stepwise Community Services.
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