Payment Assistance Policy

Financial hardship occurs when a customer is unable to fulfil their financial responsibilities to a company due to various reasons, such as:

• Personal or household illness
• Job loss or low income, including reduced access to income
• Being a victim or survivor of domestic violence
• Family emergencies such as death or natural disasters
• Unexpected events or unforeseen changes that have impacted the customer's income or expenditure
• Other reasonable causes

The customer must also consider that they can meet their payment obligations if an agreed arrangement for financial hardship assistance is set up.

If your situation is as described above, you are eligible to apply. Any customer can request a payment extension in My Account and approach us for assistance setting up a payment arrangement.

If you're having difficulty paying your bill, exploring ways to reduce your bill, or seeking financial hardship assistance, please reach out through any of the following channels:

Once we've received your request for support, we'll assess and determine your eligibility. We will advise you within 5 business days of the outcome of our assessment (usually much quicker).

If your application is accepted, we will work with you to find an assistance option that will work for you.

To determine the most suitable assistance for you, we may inquire about your financial situation and the services you require from us. For instance, if the financial challenges are long-term, we might request relevant documents to support your situation.

Some assistance options include:

• Postponing or extending bill payment deadlines
• Providing bill credits, such as late payment fee waivers
• Creating tailored payment plans
• Implementing spend controls
• Removing unnecessary product features at no cost
• Changing you to a more suitable plan
• Adjusting internal limits to prevent disconnection
• Offering non-automatic payment methods for free

If you disagree with the result of a financial hardship assessment, you can seek a review through our Complaints Process. You can submit a request online, or contact us directly:

More information can be found in our Complaints Policy. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you may contact the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO).

We encourage you to call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 which offers free counselling services provided by community organisations, legal centres, and some government agencies.

You can see the full details of our payment assistance policy by clicking here.