Welcome
​
The Financial Counselling Foundation is a charitable trust, set up to accept donations from industry and the public to advance financial counselling services. The Foundation will provide funding for direct financial counselling casework or to build the capacity of the sector.
Why is the foundation needed?
Financial counsellors work in not for profit community organisations.
They provide free and independent advice and support to people with money and debt problems.
The demand for financial counsellors outstrips supply. Face to face financial counselling agencies often have long waiting lists and calls to the National Debt Helpline, the phone financial counselling service are increasing year on year.
The purpose of the Foundation is to increase access to financial counselling by providing much needed additional funding for the sector. The Foundation seeks to keep administrative expenses to a minimum; around 1.3% of total revenue is spent on administrative costs each year.
Around 1100 financial counsellors provide face-to-face, telephone and chat support to people around Australia each year.
The National Debt Helpline received 169,514 calls and chats in 2024, and over 523,251 visits to the National Debt Helpline website.
Financial counsellors work with people who are in debt or cannot meet their ongoing expenses. They help people to understand and prioritise debt, access grants or concessions and negotiate with creditors
Did you know? …
13.3%
After taking account of housing costs, 13.3% of Australians are living below the poverty line.
Australia has one of the highest levels of household debt in the world.
15%
15% of Australian households are experiencing financial stress.
Many people are living precariously close to financial hardship. The loss of a job, a relationship breakdown, a habit that becomes an addiction, a problem with mental health—these things can tip people into financial crisis.