Debt Management and Hardship
Council acknowledges there are times when a person faces difficulty in paying a debt when repayment is due.
Residents are encouraged to seek assistance from Council as soon as practical and Council will consider each case on its merits.
Residents are encouraged to complete the online Hardship Application Form from the bottom of this page or contact our Rates Department on (02) 6033 8999.
Short-term hardship can arise from temporary changes in circumstances due to:
- Loss or change in income
- Illness
- Loss arising from an accident
- Natural disaster or emergency situation
- Death in the family
- Separation, divorce or other family crisis
- Family Violence, and/or
- Some other temporary financial difficulty due to loss of income or increase in essential expenditure.
Long-term hardship can arise from any if the reason listed or it can relate to the problem of managing living costs with low or fixed income such as a pension or superannuation payment.
Unreasonable causes for financial difficulty or hardship, which may not be grounds for assistance:
- Over commitment
- Long term/permanent cash flow problems caused by own decisions
- Imprisonment or payment of statutory fines
- Long term failure to pay rates.
Council will work with the resident to agree to a realistic payment plan arrangement and take into account the capacity to pay with consideration of:
- Total disposable income
- Current financial commitments
- Number of dependents
View Councils Debt Management and Hardship Policy