Australia has been ranked as a country with one of the highest costs of living in the world. While Australia is a fantastic place to live, over 2 million residents are living below the poverty line prompting a call for more free financial assistance in Victoria.
Revive Financial provides a number of positive solutions to bad debt including:
- Budgeting
- Debt Consolidation
- Informal Debt Agreements (Debtstroyer Agreements)
- Debt Agreements
However, sometimes we speak to people who would benefit from the free financial assistance in Victoria. This includes interest free loans and schemes for assistance with mortgage repayments, rent, everyday purchases and bills. The following links to free financial assistance in Victoria should help you get through the difficult period of juggling your finances and get you back on track.
If the free financial assistance in Victoria isn't suited to your situation or your needs, call Revive Financial. Our caring professional case managers will be able to find a solution for your debts.
Financial Counselling, Help and Advice
Financial Counselling is free financial assistance in Victoria offered by a not-for-profit company. A Financial Counsellor will help you understand your bills and your situation and help you to find the best way out of trouble. Money Help is a free information website which helps you through any financial problems you encounter. If Money Smart can not help you, they will refer you to a free financial counsellor in your area. For free financial assistance in Victoria click here to go to the Money Help website.
Assistance for Everyday Purchases
The No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS ®) is a community based program which provides interest-free loans for individuals or families on low income. You can use the money from your interest free loan to purchase goods and services such as furniture, white goods, medical aids or school fees. The No Interest Loans Scheme offer loans of up to $1200 with manageable repayments. To see if you are eligible for this free financial assistance in Victoria, click here.
Mortgage Assistance
The property market has taken a turn for the worst these last few years and now many new home owners are facing negative equity on a home loan they have several defaults on. The Government has recognised this problem and has offered the Mortgage Relief Scheme in the hope of helping people keep their homes. This is a form of free financial assistance in Victoria.
The Mortgage Relief Scheme offers short-term interest-free loans to help you keep up your home loan repayments after an unavoidable decrease in your income whether it's sickness, unemployment, injury or another form of crisis. Through the Mortgage Relief Scheme, you will only pay 27% of your gross income each month toward your home loan and the government will pick up the rest of the bill. You may also be eligible to receive up to $7000 to help you pay off existing arrears.
Rental Bond Assistance
Rental Bond Loans are available to people who wish to move into privately owned rental accommodation but can't afford the upfront costs. The Rental Bond Loan will lend you your share of the bond which must be repaid at the end of the tenancy. For more information or to apply for a Rental Bond Loan click here.
Assistance for Utility Bills at Home
Utility Relief Grant and Non-Mains Utility Relief Grant Schemes
Have you recently experienced a financial crisis, only to receive a huge utility bill you can't possibly afford? This situation isn't rare, and thankfully there is a relief grant available to help you in Victoria. The Utility Relief Grant Scheme and the Non-Mains Utility Relief Grant Scheme provide assistance for low income earners who are unable to pay their utility bills due to a temporary financial crisis.
To be eligible, you must hold a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card or a DVA Gold Card and experienced a financial crisis in the past 12 months. Special conditions also apply to non-card holders who may be eligible. To see if you can take advantage of the relief grants and what they cover, click here.
Annual Electricity Concession
From 1 July 2012, a threshold for gas and electricity concessions was introduced to take into account the Commonwealth's carbon tax compensation. The Annual Electricity Concession provides concession cardholders with a 17.5% discount off household electricity bills. This is so that households are not compensated by two levels of government for the same expense. For more information, click here.
Government Concessions
Victoria has a number of concession cards available to low income earners which will provide discounts and assistance in paying council rates, water, gas and electricity bills. Each different card has a different set of eligibility criterion which you must comply with. Each can assist with free financial assistance in Victoria.
Concession cards help with essential services to ease the financial burden for low income Victorians. For more information on the concessions available with each card and the eligibility criterion click here.
What Else Can I do?
If none of the free financial assistance in Victoria listed above can help you, you might need to tackle your debt through Revive Financial. Revive Financial can find a positive solution to your debt problem, no matter how big. We specialise in a number of debt relief options to ensure you are matched with the best possible solution for your situation. For an obligation free chat about your financial situation call Revive Financial today on 1800 534 534.
