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How we help Family resources and tools Other financial aid programs

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Resources

Other financial support services for families facing childhood cancer

Bereavement Diagnosis Families Off treatment Optional Organising Palliative Parent / carer Relapse Survivorship When treatment ends

Redkite provides financial support to families who have a child under 18 with cancer.

Click here to view more

Financial support from other service providers

In addition to Redkite’s Financial Assistance Program and financial support services, there are many other companies and government agencies offering programs to ease the financial stress that can be caused by childhood cancer. Click your state to find out what support services are available to you.

Sydney Water

Support available:

  • Flexible payment option
  • Centrepay Payment option
  • Payment Assistance scheme credits
  • Plum assist support- essential Plumbing work
  • Bill assist support – Long term payment difficulties
  • Pension rebates
  • Family Violence assistance

Eligibility:

  • Sydney resident
  • Current Sydney Water client + owner of resident property
  • Submit a bill waiver form and reference Redkite as an approved community provider
Find out more
Download Payment Assitance Scheme form
Contact Sydney Water

Origin Energy

Support available:

Within the Power On Program, Origin Energy offers flexible payment options e.g. delay payment.

Find out more
Download the brochure
Contact Origin Energy

AGL

Support available:

Free access to a financial counsellor or customer service representative trained to discuss payment management plans, Centrepay support, Government relief, concession programs, etc.

Eligibility:

  • Current customer of AGL (with access to current bill)
Find out more
Contact AGL

Energy Australia

Support available:

Flexible payment options called Energy Assist:

  • Pay on-going energy use in manageable instalments
  • Understand how to become more energy efficient
  • Reduce and pay off energy debt
  • Centapay option

Eligibility:

Hardship defined:

  • Death in the family
  • Household illness
  • Family and domestic violence
  • Unemployment
  • Reduced income

For more information on the eligibility please call Energy Australia’s customer service.

Please note: Hardship policy may differ per state.

Find out more
Contact Energy Australia

Alinta

Support available:

  • Payment delays arrangement
  • Setting up instalment payment plans or alternative payment options such as Centrepay and direct debit
  • Referral to external organisations that will be able to provide financial counselling
  • Assistance with obtaining access to relevant Government utility assistance programs
  • Providing practical energy efficiency advice on how best to reduce your ongoing energy usage

Eligibility:

Current Alinta clients have to call 13 37 02 before the bill is due and speak to Alinta’s customer support for assistance.

Find out more
Contact Alinta

Telstra

Support available:

Telstra can offer flexible options of support for their customers going through difficult circumstances, such as flexible payment options, payment extensions, changes of current plans or pre-paid services. Their team can help you find the right assistance to keep you connected for as long as you need.

Eligibility:

For assessment of eligibility please call Telstra’s customer service and request the Hardship policy.

Hardship defined:

  • Loss of job
  • Illness
  • Death in the family
  • Impacted by domestic or family violence
  • Impacted by a natural disaster
Find out more
Contact Telstra

Vodafone

Support available:

The Financial Assistance team will determine the best assistance program. Some of the solutions are:

  • Spend controls
  • Restriction of service
  • Data capped plans
  • Payment arrangements – length depending on your circumstances
  • Payment extensions
  • Waiving of late payment or cancellation fees
  • Bill waivers in exceptional circumstances

Eligibility:

  • Vodafone client
  • Hardship defined:
    • Loss of income or property
    • Sudden illness or injury
    • Change of family circumstances
    • Affected by natural disasters such as bushfire, flood, earthquake or drought or the current COVID-19 situation
Contact Vodafone

Optus

Support available:

  • Review of current plan and cost-effective interim options that would be suitable
  • Review of minimum monthly spend to see if moving to a Prepaid service would be suitable
  • Review of services to see if restricting one or all services would be suitable
  • Waiving late payment fees which may have incurred on outstanding bills
  • Granting a temporary hold so that bills don’t need to be paid on the due date
  • Review of account to find alternative arrangements such as cancelling unused services or transferring post-paid service to prepaid
  • Offering support on the Home internet service bill, including Optus Broadband Internet (NBN, ADSL & Cable), Optus 4G Wireless and Optus 5G Home

Eligibility:

Hardship defined:

  • Injury or illness
  • Domestic or family violence
  • Natural disasters
  • Death in the family
  • Homelessness
  • COVID-19
  • Loss of employment / Reduced hours at work
Contact Optus

Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA)

Support available:

Vouchers.

Eligibility:

  • Electricity or natural gas account for a NSW residential address, which is primary place of residence and the account must be active at the time of assessment (all other accounts are not eligible)    
  • Be the electricity or natural gas account holder (your account and bill must be in your name)
  • Be experiencing a short-term financial crisis or emergency that has caused you financial hardship and impacted your ability to pay your current residential energy bill (in part or in full) 
Find out more
Contact an EAPA Provider

The Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme

Support available:

One-off emergency assistance to help to pay home energy bills for up to $720 once every 2 years.

Eligibility:

  • Hold a current concession card, or –
  • Have an income equal to or less than the Australian Government’s maximum income rate for part-age pensioners; contact Services Australia or –
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs for details of the maximum income rate be part of your energy provider’s hardship program or payment plan
Find out more

Phone: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)

Government Utility Allowance

Support available:

  • Single: $166.80 a quarter
  • Couple: $83.40 a quarter for each eligible member of a couple

Eligibility:

This allowance is accessed automatically if certain payments from the Australian Government are received. No need to apply for it.

Find out more
Contact Australian Government

Lifeline service seeker

Directory Search tool for support services that can be filtered by state/region and client needs.

Find out more

WayAhead

Mental health support search tool.

Find out more

Salvation Army – Money Care

Free Financial Counselling and resources.

Find out more

Salov – You’re the boss program

Digital financial Skill building program.

Find out more

Uniting Care

Money Management, information resources and tools.

Find out more

Money Smart

Government information portal on financial wellbeing.

Find out more

Disclaimer:

The information providided on this page is subject to change and eligibility and services offered will be determined by the providers only.

Utility Relief Grant Scheme

Support available:

The grant provides help to pay a mains electricity, gas or water bill that is overdue due to a temporary financial crisis.

Eligibility:

  • Pensioner Concession Card
  • Health Care Card
Find out more

Phone: 1800 658 521

Email: Urgis.applications@health.vic.gov.au

Origin Energy

Support available:

Within the Power On Program, Origin Energy offers flexible payment options e.g. delay payment.

Find out more
Download the brochure
Contact Origin Energy

Energy Australia

Support available:

Flexible payment options called Energy Assist:

  • Pay on-going energy use in manageable instalments
  • Understand how to become more energy efficient
  • Reduce and pay off energy debt
  • Centapay option

Eligibility:

Hardship defined:

  • Death in the family
  • Household illness
  • Family and domestic violence
  • Unemployment
  • Reduced income

For more information on the eligibility please call Energy Australia’s customer service.

Please note: Hardship policy may differ per state.

Find out more
Contact Energy Australia

Alinta

Support available:

  • Payment delays arrangement
  • Setting up instalment payment plans or alternative payment options such as Centrepay and direct debit
  • Referral to external organisations that will be able to provide financial counselling
  • Assistance with obtaining access to relevant Government utility assistance programs
  • Providing practical energy efficiency advice on how best to reduce your ongoing energy usage

Eligibility:

Current Alinta clients have to call 13 37 02 before the bill is due and speak to Alinta’s customer support for assistance.

Find out more
Contact Alinta

Telstra

Support available:

Telstra can offer flexible options of support for their customers going through difficult circumstances, such as flexible payment options, payment extensions, changes of current plans or pre-paid services. Their team can help you find the right assistance to keep you connected for as long as you need.

Eligibility:

For assessment of eligibility please call Telstra’s customer service and request the Hardship policy.

Hardship defined:

  • Loss of job
  • Illness
  • Death in the family
  • Impacted by domestic or family violence
  • Impacted by a natural disaster
Find out more
Contact Telstra

Vodafone

Support available:

The Financial Assistance team will determine the best assistance program. Some of the solutions are:

  • Spend controls
  • Restriction of service
  • Data capped plans
  • Payment arrangements – length depending on your circumstances
  • Payment extensions
  • Waiving of late payment or cancellation fees
  • Bill waivers in exceptional circumstances

Eligibility:

  • Vodafone client
  • Hardship defined:
    • Loss of income or property
    • Sudden illness or injury
    • Change of family circumstances
    • Affected by natural disasters such as bushfire, flood, earthquake or drought or the current COVID-19 situation
Contact Vodafone

Optus

Support available:

  • Review of current plan and cost-effective interim options that would be suitable
  • Review of minimum monthly spend to see if moving to a Prepaid service would be suitable
  • Review of services to see if restricting one or all services would be suitable
  • Waiving late payment fees which may have incurred on outstanding bills
  • Granting a temporary hold so that bills don’t need to be paid on the due date
  • Review of account to find alternative arrangements such as cancelling unused services or transferring post-paid service to prepaid
  • Offering support on the Home internet service bill, including Optus Broadband Internet (NBN, ADSL & Cable), Optus 4G Wireless and Optus 5G Home

Eligibility:

Hardship defined:

  • Injury or illness
  • Domestic or family violence
  • Natural disasters
  • Death in the family
  • Homelessness
  • COVID-19
  • Loss of employment / Reduced hours at work
Contact Optus

Utility Relief Grant Scheme

Support available:

The grant provides help to pay a mains electricity, gas or water bill that is overdue due to a temporary financial crisis. The amount of the grant is based on the amount owed at the time of application. It is also based on the reasons given in the application form.

  • Receive a maximum of $650 on each utility type in a two-year period (or $1,300 for households with a single source of energy (for example, electricity only)
  • Apply for separate grants for each utility (electricity, gas and water)

Eligibility:

N/A

Find out more

Phone: 1800 658 521

Email: Urgis.applications@health.vic.gov.au

The Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme

Support available:

One-off emergency assistance to help to pay home energy bills for up to $720 once every 2 years.

Eligibility:

  • Hold a current concession card, or –
  • Have an income equal to or less than the Australian Government’s maximum income rate for part-age pensioners; contact Services Australia or –
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs for details of the maximum income rate be part of your energy provider’s hardship program or payment plan
Find out more

Phone: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)

Government Utility Allowance

Support available:

  • Single: $166.80 a quarter
  • Couple: $83.40 a quarter for each eligible member of a couple

Eligibility:

This allowance is accessed automatically if certain payments from the Australian Government are received. No need to apply for it.

Find out more
Contact Australian Government

Lifeline service seeker

Directory Search tool for support services that can be filtered by state/region and client needs.

Find out more

Info exchange

Directory Search tool for support services ‘Ask for Izzy’.

Find out more

Salvation Army – Money Care

Free Financial Counselling and resources.

Find out more

Salov – You’re the boss program

Digital financial Skill building program.

Find out more

Uniting Care

Money Management, information resources and tools.

Find out more

Money Smart

Government information portal on financial wellbeing.

Find out more

Disclaimer:

The information providided on this page is subject to change and eligibility and services offered will be determined by the providers only.

Urban Utilities

Support available:

Assistance with the water bill.

Eligibility:

  • Queensland resident
Find out more
Contact Urban Utilities

Origin Energy

Support available:

Within the Power On Program, Origin Energy offers flexible payment options e.g. delay payment.

Find out more
Download the brochure
Contact Origin Energy

AGL

Support available:

Free access to a financial counsellor or customer service representative trained to discuss payment management plans, Centrepay support, Government relief, concession programs, etc.

Eligibility:

  • Current customer of AGL (with access to current bill)
Find out more
Contact AGL

Alinta

Support available:

  • Payment delays arrangement
  • Setting up instalment payment plans or alternative payment options such as Centrepay and direct debit
  • Referral to external organisations that will be able to provide financial counselling
  • Assistance with obtaining access to relevant Government utility assistance programs
  • Providing practical energy efficiency advice on how best to reduce your ongoing energy usage

Eligibility:

Current Alinta clients have to call 13 37 02 before the bill is due and speak to Alinta’s customer support for assistance.

Find out more
Contact Alinta

Telstra

Support available:

Telstra can offer flexible options of support for their customers going through difficult circumstances, such as flexible payment options, payment extensions, changes of current plans or pre-paid services. Their team can help you find the right assistance to keep you connected for as long as you need.

Eligibility:

For assessment of eligibility please call Telstra’s customer service and request the Hardship policy.

Hardship defined:

  • Loss of job
  • Illness
  • Death in the family
  • Impacted by domestic or family violence
  • Impacted by a natural disaster
Find out more
Contact Telstra

Vodafone

Support available:

The Financial Assistance team will determine the best assistance program. Some of the solutions are:

  • Spend controls
  • Restriction of service
  • Data capped plans
  • Payment arrangements – length depending on your circumstances
  • Payment extensions
  • Waiving of late payment or cancellation fees
  • Bill waivers in exceptional circumstances

Eligibility:

  • Vodafone client
  • Hardship defined:
    • Loss of income or property
    • Sudden illness or injury
    • Change of family circumstances
    • Affected by natural disasters such as bushfire, flood, earthquake or drought or the current COVID-19 situation
Contact Vodafone

Optus

Support available:

  • Review of current plan and cost-effective interim options that would be suitable
  • Review of minimum monthly spend to see if moving to a Prepaid service would be suitable
  • Review of services to see if restricting one or all services would be suitable
  • Waiving late payment fees which may have incurred on outstanding bills
  • Granting a temporary hold so that bills don’t need to be paid on the due date
  • Review of account to find alternative arrangements such as cancelling unused services or transferring post-paid service to prepaid
  • Offering support on the Home internet service bill, including Optus Broadband Internet (NBN, ADSL & Cable), Optus 4G Wireless and Optus 5G Home

Eligibility:

Hardship defined:

  • Injury or illness
  • Domestic or family violence
  • Natural disasters
  • Death in the family
  • Homelessness
  • COVID-19
  • Loss of employment / Reduced hours at work
Contact Optus

The Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme

Support available:

One-off emergency assistance to help to pay home energy bills for up to $720 once every 2 years.

Eligibility:

  • Hold a current concession card, or –
  • Have an income equal to or less than the Australian Government’s maximum income rate for part-age pensioners; contact Services Australia or –
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs for details of the maximum income rate be part of your energy provider’s hardship program or payment plan
Find out more

Phone: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)

Government Utility Allowance

Support available:

  • Single: $166.80 a quarter
  • Couple: $83.40 a quarter for each eligible member of a couple

Eligibility:

This allowance is accessed automatically if certain payments from the Australian Government are received. No need to apply for it.

Find out more
Contact Australian Government

Lifeline service seeker

Directory Search tool for support services that can be filtered by state/region and client needs.

Find out more

Salvation Army – Money Care

Free Financial Counselling and resources.

Find out more

Salov – You’re the boss program

Digital financial Skill building program.

Find out more

Uniting Care

Money Management, information resources and tools.

Find out more

Money Smart

Government information portal on financial wellbeing.

Find out more

Disclaimer:

The information providided on this page is subject to change and eligibility and services offered will be determined by the providers only.

Origin Energy

Support available:

Within the Power On Program, Origin Energy offers flexible payment options e.g. delay payment.

Find out more
Download the brochure
Contact Origin Energy

Synergy

Support available:

Assessment of needs through Keeping Connected Program:

  • Delayed payment plan
  • Financial counselling
  • Government concession schemes

Eligibility:

For assessment of eligibility please call Synergy.

Find out more
Contact Synergy

Alinta

Support available:

  • Payment delays arrangement
  • Setting up instalment payment plans or alternative payment options such as Centrepay and direct debit
  • Referral to external organisations that will be able to provide financial counselling
  • Assistance with obtaining access to relevant Government utility assistance programs
  • Providing practical energy efficiency advice on how best to reduce your ongoing energy usage

Eligibility:

Current Alinta clients have to call 13 37 02 before the bill is due and speak to Alinta’s customer support for assistance.

Find out more
Contact Alinta

Telstra

Support available:

Telstra can offer flexible options of support for their customers going through difficult circumstances, such as flexible payment options, payment extensions, changes of current plans or pre-paid services. Their team can help you find the right assistance to keep you connected for as long as you need.

Eligibility:

For assessment of eligibility please call Telstra’s customer service and request the Hardship policy.

Hardship defined:

  • Loss of job
  • Illness
  • Death in the family
  • Impacted by domestic or family violence
  • Impacted by a natural disaster
Find out more
Contact Telstra

Vodafone

Support available:

The Financial Assistance team will determine the best assistance program. Some of the solutions are:

  • Spend controls
  • Restriction of service
  • Data capped plans
  • Payment arrangements – length depending on your circumstances
  • Payment extensions
  • Waiving of late payment or cancellation fees
  • Bill waivers in exceptional circumstances

Eligibility:

  • Vodafone client
  • Hardship defined:
    • Loss of income or property
    • Sudden illness or injury
    • Change of family circumstances
    • Affected by natural disasters such as bushfire, flood, earthquake or drought or the current COVID-19 situation
Contact Vodafone

Optus

Support available:

  • Review of current plan and cost-effective interim options that would be suitable
  • Review of minimum monthly spend to see if moving to a Prepaid service would be suitable
  • Review of services to see if restricting one or all services would be suitable
  • Waiving late payment fees which may have incurred on outstanding bills
  • Granting a temporary hold so that bills don’t need to be paid on the due date
  • Review of account to find alternative arrangements such as cancelling unused services or transferring post-paid service to prepaid
  • Offering support on the Home internet service bill, including Optus Broadband Internet (NBN, ADSL & Cable), Optus 4G Wireless and Optus 5G Home

Eligibility:

Hardship defined:

  • Injury or illness
  • Domestic or family violence
  • Natural disasters
  • Death in the family
  • Homelessness
  • COVID-19
  • Loss of employment / Reduced hours at work
Contact Optus

The Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme

Support available:

One-off emergency assistance to help to pay home energy bills for up to $720 once every 2 years.

Eligibility:

  • Hold a current concession card, or –
  • Have an income equal to or less than the Australian Government’s maximum income rate for part-age pensioners; contact Services Australia or –
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs for details of the maximum income rate be part of your energy provider’s hardship program or payment plan
Find out more

Phone: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)

Hardship Utility Grant Scheme (HUGS)

Support available:

Payment offering differs per region.

Eligibility:

Western Australian utility customers who are in financial hardship and are unable to pay utility bills.

Hardship defined:

  1. Contact your utility provider to discuss outstanding debt to be assessed by the utility provider as being in financial hardship and not in payment difficulty
  2. All options with the utility provider are exhausted and payment arrangement for at least 180 days to address the outstanding debt is entered
  3. After completion of the payment arrangement, the outstanding bill must still be more than $300
Find out more

Email: hugs@communities.wa.gov.au

Government Utility Allowance

Support available:

  • Single: $166.80 a quarter
  • Couple: $83.40 a quarter for each eligible member of a couple

Eligibility:

This allowance is accessed automatically if certain payments from the Australian Government are received. No need to apply for it.

Find out more
Contact Australian Government

Lifeline service seeker

Directory Search tool for support services that can be filtered by state/region and client needs.

Find out more

Salvation Army – Money Care

Free Financial Counselling and resources.

Find out more

Salov – You’re the boss program

Digital financial Skill building program.

Find out more

Uniting Care

Money Management, information resources and tools.

Find out more

Money Smart

Government information portal on financial wellbeing.

Find out more

Disclaimer:

The information providided on this page is subject to change and eligibility and services offered will be determined by the providers only.

Origin Energy

Support available:

Within the Power On Program, Origin Energy offers flexible payment options e.g. delay payment.

Find out more
Download the brochure
Contact Origin Energy

AGL

Support available:

Free access to a financial counsellor or customer service representative trained to discuss payment management plans, Centrepay support, Government relief, concession programs, etc.

Eligibility:

  • Current customer of AGL (with access to current bill)
Find out more
Contact AGL

Energy Australia

Support available:

Flexible payment options called Energy Assist:

  • Pay on-going energy use in manageable instalments
  • Understand how to become more energy efficient
  • Reduce and pay off energy debt
  • Centapay option

Eligibility:

Hardship defined:

  • Death in the family
  • Household illness
  • Family and domestic violence
  • Unemployment
  • Reduced income

For more information on the eligibility please call Energy Australia’s customer service.

Please note: Hardship policy may differ per state.

Find out more
Contact Energy Australia

Alinta

Support available:

  • Payment delays arrangement
  • Setting up instalment payment plans or alternative payment options such as Centrepay and direct debit
  • Referral to external organisations that will be able to provide financial counselling
  • Assistance with obtaining access to relevant Government utility assistance programs
  • Providing practical energy efficiency advice on how best to reduce your ongoing energy usage

Eligibility:

Current Alinta clients have to call 13 37 02 before the bill is due and speak to Alinta’s customer support for assistance.

Find out more
Contact Alinta

Telstra

Support available:

Telstra can offer flexible options of support for their customers going through difficult circumstances, such as flexible payment options, payment extensions, changes of current plans or pre-paid services. Their team can help you find the right assistance to keep you connected for as long as you need.

Eligibility:

For assessment of eligibility please call Telstra’s customer service and request the Hardship policy.

Hardship defined:

  • Loss of job
  • Illness
  • Death in the family
  • Impacted by domestic or family violence
  • Impacted by a natural disaster
Find out more
Contact Telstra

Vodafone

Support available:

The Financial Assistance team will determine the best assistance program. Some of the solutions are:

  • Spend controls
  • Restriction of service
  • Data capped plans
  • Payment arrangements – length depending on your circumstances
  • Payment extensions
  • Waiving of late payment or cancellation fees
  • Bill waivers in exceptional circumstances

Eligibility:

  • Vodafone client
  • Hardship defined:
    • Loss of income or property
    • Sudden illness or injury
    • Change of family circumstances
    • Affected by natural disasters such as bushfire, flood, earthquake or drought or the current COVID-19 situation
Contact Vodafone

Optus

Support available:

  • Review of current plan and cost-effective interim options that would be suitable
  • Review of minimum monthly spend to see if moving to a Prepaid service would be suitable
  • Review of services to see if restricting one or all services would be suitable
  • Waiving late payment fees which may have incurred on outstanding bills
  • Granting a temporary hold so that bills don’t need to be paid on the due date
  • Review of account to find alternative arrangements such as cancelling unused services or transferring post-paid service to prepaid
  • Offering support on the Home internet service bill, including Optus Broadband Internet (NBN, ADSL & Cable), Optus 4G Wireless and Optus 5G Home

Eligibility:

Hardship defined:

  • Injury or illness
  • Domestic or family violence
  • Natural disasters
  • Death in the family
  • Homelessness
  • COVID-19
  • Loss of employment / Reduced hours at work
Contact Optus

The Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme

Support available:

One-off emergency assistance to help to pay home energy bills for up to $720 once every 2 years.

Eligibility:

  • Hold a current concession card, or –
  • Have an income equal to or less than the Australian Government’s maximum income rate for part-age pensioners; contact Services Australia or –
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs for details of the maximum income rate be part of your energy provider’s hardship program or payment plan
Find out more

Phone: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)

Energy Bill concession

Support available:

Apply for help with the cost of energy bills for the principal place of residence. For 2021/22, receive up to $233.60 to cover energy payments, including fuels used to generate energy (eg LPG bottled gas and petrol).

Eligibility:

  • South Australians on low or fixed incomes
  • Centrelink Health care card
  • Concession
  • DVA Gold card holder
Find out more

Email: concessions@sa.gov.au

Government Utility Allowance

Support available:

  • Single: $166.80 a quarter
  • Couple: $83.40 a quarter for each eligible member of a couple

Eligibility:

This allowance is accessed automatically if certain payments from the Australian Government are received. No need to apply for it.

Find out more
Contact Australian Government

Lifeline service seeker

Directory Search tool for support services that can be filtered by state/region and client needs.

Find out more

Salvation Army – Money Care

Free Financial Counselling and resources.

Find out more

Salov – You’re the boss program

Digital financial Skill building program.

Find out more

Uniting Care

Money Management, information resources and tools.

Find out more

Money Smart

Government information portal on financial wellbeing.

Find out more

Disclaimer:

The information providided on this page is subject to change and eligibility and services offered will be determined by the providers only.

Origin Energy

Support available:

Within the Power On Program, Origin Energy offers flexible payment options e.g. delay payment.

Find out more
Download the brochure
Contact Origin Energy

Alinta

Support available:

  • Payment delays arrangement
  • Setting up instalment payment plans or alternative payment options such as Centrepay and direct debit
  • Referral to external organisations that will be able to provide financial counselling
  • Assistance with obtaining access to relevant Government utility assistance programs
  • Providing practical energy efficiency advice on how best to reduce your ongoing energy usage

Eligibility:

Current Alinta clients have to call 13 37 02 before the bill is due and speak to Alinta’s customer support for assistance.

Find out more
Contact Alinta

Telstra

Support available:

Telstra can offer flexible options of support for their customers going through difficult circumstances, such as flexible payment options, payment extensions, changes of current plans or pre-paid services. Their team can help you find the right assistance to keep you connected for as long as you need.

Eligibility:

For assessment of eligibility please call Telstra’s customer service and request the Hardship policy.

Hardship defined:

  • Loss of job
  • Illness
  • Death in the family
  • Impacted by domestic or family violence
  • Impacted by a natural disaster
Find out more
Contact Telstra

Vodafone

Support available:

The Financial Assistance team will determine the best assistance program. Some of the solutions are:

  • Spend controls
  • Restriction of service
  • Data capped plans
  • Payment arrangements – length depending on your circumstances
  • Payment extensions
  • Waiving of late payment or cancellation fees
  • Bill waivers in exceptional circumstances

Eligibility:

  • Vodafone client
  • Hardship defined:
    • Loss of income or property
    • Sudden illness or injury
    • Change of family circumstances
    • Affected by natural disasters such as bushfire, flood, earthquake or drought or the current COVID-19 situation
Contact Vodafone

Optus

Support available:

  • Review of current plan and cost-effective interim options that would be suitable
  • Review of minimum monthly spend to see if moving to a Prepaid service would be suitable
  • Review of services to see if restricting one or all services would be suitable
  • Waiving late payment fees which may have incurred on outstanding bills
  • Granting a temporary hold so that bills don’t need to be paid on the due date
  • Review of account to find alternative arrangements such as cancelling unused services or transferring post-paid service to prepaid
  • Offering support on the Home internet service bill, including Optus Broadband Internet (NBN, ADSL & Cable), Optus 4G Wireless and Optus 5G Home

Eligibility:

Hardship defined:

  • Injury or illness
  • Domestic or family violence
  • Natural disasters
  • Death in the family
  • Homelessness
  • COVID-19
  • Loss of employment / Reduced hours at work
Contact Optus

The Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme

Support available:

One-off emergency assistance to help to pay home energy bills for up to $720 once every 2 years.

Eligibility:

  • Hold a current concession card, or –
  • Have an income equal to or less than the Australian Government’s maximum income rate for part-age pensioners; contact Services Australia or –
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs for details of the maximum income rate be part of your energy provider’s hardship program or payment plan
Find out more

Phone: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)

Utility Grant relief

Support available:

The Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) offers a variety of concessions and benefits to eligible cardholders to assist low-income Victorians with energy bills. You may be eligible for the following:

  • Winter Gas Concession
  • Utility Relief Grant
  • Non-Government Assistance

Eligibility:

  • Resident of Tasmania
  • Relevant concession card
Find out more
Contact Tas Gas

Government Utility Allowance

Support available:

  • Single: $166.80 a quarter
  • Couple: $83.40 a quarter for each eligible member of a couple

Eligibility:

This allowance is accessed automatically if certain payments from the Australian Government are received. No need to apply for it.

Find out more
Contact Australian Government

Lifeline service seeker

Directory Search tool for support services that can be filtered by state/region and client needs.

Find out more

Salvation Army – Money Care

Free Financial Counselling and resources.

Find out more

Salov – You’re the boss program

Digital financial Skill building program.

Find out more

Uniting Care

Money Management, information resources and tools.

Find out more

Money Smart

Government information portal on financial wellbeing.

Find out more

Disclaimer:

The information providided on this page is subject to change and eligibility and services offered will be determined by the providers only.

Request information & support

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