Rates Financial Hardship Assistance Policy

 

Our Rates Financial Hardship Assistance Policy explains how we can support ratepayers experiencing temporary or ongoing financial hardship that affects their ability to pay rates and charges.

We provide several forms of assistance, including payment arrangements, deferral of rates and charges, interest waivers and, in some circumstances, partial rate waivers. We assess applications using criteria that consider financial circumstances, property ownership, employment status, assets and other factors.

The assistance we provide depends on the level of hardship established through this assessment. Rate waivers are intended as short-term assistance and have specific eligibility requirements and limits. We may also consider assistance on compassionate grounds or in special circumstances.

We encourage ratepayers experiencing financial difficulty to seek independent financial counselling to explore other available support options. We treat all financial hardship applications in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Assesment scoring

Criteria Points
The ratepayer is struggling to meet financial commitments. Yes = 10 points / No = 0 points
The owner has a mortgage on the property. Yes = 10 points / No = 0 points
The property is owner-occupied. Yes = 20 points / No = 0 points
Employment status – sole owner
The sole owner is unemployed. Yes = 20 points / No = 0 points
The sole owner is under-employed (part-time or casual). Yes = 10 points / No = 0 points
Employment status – multiple owners
All owners are unemployed. Yes = 20 points / No = 0 points
One owner is unemployed and the remaining owners are employed. Yes = 10 points / No = 0 points
One owner is under-employed and the remaining owners are employed. Yes = 5 points / No = 0 points
The ratepayer has supplied a letter of support from a financial counsellor. Yes = 20 points / No = 0 points
The owner receives a pension. Yes = 20 points / No = 0 points
The owner or a family member is impacted by drug or alcohol abuse. Yes = 10 points / No = 0 points
The owner is impacted by financial abuse, gambling, fraud or scams. Yes = 10 points / No = 0 points
The owner has a Health Care Card. Yes = 10 points / No = 0 points
The owner has dependants or is a carer. Yes = 10 points / No = 0 points
The owner is impacted by family violence. Yes = 20 points / No = 0 points
The owner is experiencing illness. Yes = 10 points / No = 0 points
The ratepayer owns one or more other properties. Yes = 0 points / No = 10 points
The ratepayer owns other substantial assets. Yes = 0 points / No = 10 points

Decision result

Result Points
Hardship not established. Under 50 points
Partial hardship – extended hold or minimal payment arrangement requested. Penalty interest to be held for a 6-month period. 50 points and under 70 points
Partial hardship – penalty interest to be waived or held for a 12-month period (may be retrospective). 70 points and under 100 points
Hardship – rate waiver of 33%, up to a maximum amount declared each year for owner-occupied properties. Non-owner-occupied properties are excluded. Penalty interest to be waived or held for a 12-month period (may be retrospective). 100 points or over
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