What is Financial Hardship?
Financial hardship refers to a situation where you are unable, because of reasonable and unavoidable circumstances, to pay your rates without seriously affecting your ability to meet basic living needs (such as food, housing, medical care, or education).
Who is eligible?
You may apply for financial hardship assistance only for your sole or primary place of residence.
What support may be available?
If approved, you may be eligible for:
- Temporary deferment of rates
- Interest charges to be waived
- Customised payment arrangements over a longer period
Non-Primary Residence (e.g. Investment Properties, Vacant Land)
Financial hardship assistance is not available for non-primary residences.
However, you may still:
- Make voluntary payments at a frequency that suits you
(Note: These are not part of a formal plan)
- Be subject to penalty interest on any unpaid balances
- Have your account referred to debt collection if the debt remains unpaid
How to apply:
What happens next?
- Once submitted, Council will assess your application in accordance with its Property Rate Debt Management Policy (PDF, 317KB)
- You will be contacted to confirm the outcome, or to discuss alternative options
- While under a hardship arrangement, you must maintain agreed payments
Note:
Financial hardship assistance is not a waiver of rates. It is designed to provide flexible solutions that allow you to meet your rate obligations gradually, without undue stress.