Financial counsellors are qualified professionals in your local area who provide information, advocacy and support for people experiencing financial difficulty.
Services are independent, non-judgmental and confidential.
Financial counselling is available for anyone affected by the bushfires.
Your financial counsellor can help you to:
- understand your government income and other entitlements
- access relief for utility bills, and other payments
- negotiate with your bank on debt issues
- identify if your insurance outcome is fair and appropriate
A financial counsellor will provide you with options and can advocate on your behalf.
Please see the options below for you to access financial counselling.
Financial counselling options
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A financial counsellor can help you to:
- understand your government income and other entitlements
- access relief for utility bills, and other payments
- negotiate with your bank on debt issues
- identify if your insurance outcome is fair and appropriate
Services are free, independent, non-judgmental and confidential.
In East Gippsland
Anglicare Bushfire Financial Counselling
- email: Bushfire.FCPgipps@anglicarevic.org.au
- phone: 1800 286 260
In the North East:
Upper Murray Financial Counselling:
- phone: (02) 6055 8000 (Wodonga) or (03) 5720 0000 (Wangaratta).
- email: financialcounsellors@umfc.com.au
The program services the Ovens Murray, Murray and Hume regions.
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Small Business Victoria is providing Business Recovery Advisers to engage with impacted businesses at local recovery centres.
The Advisers are assisting affected local business owners to connect to the right services, navigate local, state, Commonwealth and other relevant resources along with providing administrative support where needed.
This is a free service.
Phone: 13 22 15
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The Rural Financial Counselling Service can provide support with:
- farm and small business recovery planning
- support payment, grant and loan applications
- handling financial matters
- connections to other assistance
This is a free service.
Phone:
- North East Victoria: 1300 834 775
- Gippsland: 1300 045 747
- Western: 1300 735 578
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Small businesses and sole traders who have been affected by the bushfires can get financial counselling support from the Small Business Bushfire Financial Counselling Support Line.
This is a free service.
Phone: 1800 413 828
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If you don't know what type of support is right for you, you can access the Victorian Bushfires Case Support Program by visiting the Wellbeing section on this website.
Reviewed 16 December 2020