Emergency Relief Related Links

Financial Counselling

Call the National Debt Helpline – 1800 007 007 or visit www.ndh.org.au

They offer free, independent and confidential financial information and support provided by financial counsellors. They can also help find other support services in your community. 

You can also locate your nearest financial counsellor by visiting Financial Counsellors’ Association of WA at www.financialcounsellors.org and typing in your postcode. Financial counsellors work for not-for-profit organisations and can help people in your community sort out debts and work with creditors.

Emergency and Food Relief

There are community organisations around the state that provide emergency relief to people experiencing financial hardship, in the form of food vouchers, assistance with bills, referrals to other services, and more. 

WAConnect is an online directory that can help find extra help for people in your community in these challenging times, visit www.waconnect.org.au.

The Emergency Relief and Food Access Service provides support in identifying and applying for emergency relief, free-call on 1800 979 777, 9:30am – 5pm Monday to Friday.

 

Other Emergency Relief Links

Links to services and organisations coordinating Emergency Relief and Financial Counselling activities across Western Australia.

  • Anglicare Triage Help Line
    State-wide service where anyone in need of assistance can call in to get a referral to a local provider.
    Freecall 1800 979 777 between 9am and 5pm Monday – Friday (excluding public holidays) or email: [email protected] 
     
  • Food Community 
    Edith Cowan University has developed a website to support healthy food availability, access, and food security in rural WA.The website has infographics and fact sheets about food security, webinars, local WA research, a free advocacy training course, a maps area which enables people to find local food projects, and many other features.

    Watch this brief (7 min) video for an overview of the website and how CRCs and regional / remote NCs can use its features to help promote food security in your communities. Note: while the video does mention CRCs it is not meant to exclude NCs.

  • GIVIT
    GIVIT supports all agencies, services and charities in Australia who work directly with impoverished, marginalised and vulnerable people. GIVIT Listed Ltd makes it easier for organisations to empower their clients and improve quality of life by obtaining the items they require through the website, at no cost.
  • WA No Interest Loans (Anglicare)
    Small loans to assist low income earners purchase essential household items and some services such as medical and dental. 
  • Homes for Good
    A whole-of-community response to the housing crisis in Western Australia.
     
  • Emergency Support Volunteering
    VolunteeringWA is coordinating those who want to volunteer with those organisations that need volunteers during this pandemic.
     
  • Rural Financial Counselling Service WA
    For farmers, foresters, professional fishers or small business operators supporting these industries.
     
  • Money & Mental Health - Practical Financial Skills to Manage Money
    This guide contains plenty of helpful information such as:
    • How financial debt and money worries impact people’s mental health
    • The importance of practical financial skills and how it helps with mental health, including expert advice on combating debt, knowing why people overspend, and how to manage the effects of money pressures.
    • Practical, useful tips and advice such as how to budget, analysing spending habits, where to save on household expenses, how to deal with debt, and how to make money management a habit.
    • Other useful information and links to external resources to help develop practical financial skills and healthy habits around money.
  • Energy providers