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If you're experiencing financial stress, there are services that can help. You might be able to access:
- food vouchers
- chemist vouchers
- transport vouchers
- help with rent or accommodation costs
- help toward the cost of bills
- material help, such as food hampers or clothing, and sometimes cash
- financial counselling.
Emergency financial help and counselling
Contact an organisation in your area for help in an emergency:
- Limestone Coast and Murray Mallee regions – Financial counselling - ac.care
- Northern Adelaide – Emergency relief and assistance - AnglicareSA
- Eyre and Western regions – Financial wellbeing programs – Centacare , Catholic Country SA
- Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island - Financial wellbeing - Junction
- Adelaide Hills and Barossa, Light and Lower North - Emergency relief - Lutheran Care, Financial Counselling - Lutheran Care
- Eastern and Southern Adelaide - Financial and energy services - Uniting Communities
- Far North, Yorke and Mid North – Financial wellbeing - Uniting Country SA
- Western Adelaide -Emergency assistance - UCWB, Financial counselling - UCWB
One-off crisis payments can be requested if you receive a Centrelink income support payment.
Emergency electricity payment
The Emergency Electricity Payment Scheme provides an emergency payment to help electricity customers in financial hardship.
You could get this if:
- you have an electricity debt
- you're at risk of your electricity being disconnected, or it has already been.
Contact a financial counsellor to assess your financial situation. They can lodge an application on your behalf.
Affordable SA
A resource hub for South Australians to help them with affordability challenges.
Affordable SA - Salvation Army
National debt helpline
A national service offering confidential, and independent information.
No interest loan scheme
No interest loan scheme (NILS) provides no-fee, interest-free loans for people living on a low income.
Loans can be used to purchase essential household items like fridges, washing machines and furniture, education essentials - such as computers and text books - and some medical and dental services.
NILS can’t be used for regular household expenses such as rent, bills or food.