If you're having difficulties paying your rates by the due date there are options available to assist you.
While we can't waive rates, we can offer other avenues of support for people experiencing financial hardship. This includes:
- deferrals
- payment plans
- waivers of interest
- waiver of collection costs.
You can set up a payment arrangement on direct debit or self-manage your payments.
Learn more about protecting your financial wellbeing
You can pay your rates in smaller amounts to suit your budget. This can be weekly, fortnightly, monthly or quarterly. You can pay via our direct debit payment platform FlexiPay.
FlexiPay is completely self-serve and easy to set up. You will need:
- a valid email address
- contact number
- your eNotices reference number located on the top right-hand corner of your most recent rates notice.
The correct amount to pay will be calculated for you, ensuring balances are paid before the end of the financial year.
Any requests that include arrears or flow into future financial years will not be automatically approved. These requests will be sent to the Revenue department for approval.
Once approved, you'll receive a confirmation email to enter your payment details (bank account or credit card). Requests that do not provide payment details after a period of time will be cancelled.
Submit your FlexiPay direct debit request here
If you prefer to pay manually according to the payment options on your rates notice (not direct debit), please submit your proposed payment arrangement via payment arrangement request form.
You'll then receive a confirmation of arrangement email/contact within five business days or a letter will be posted. The response times may be longer during busy periods.
During this waiting period, please commence any payments you can.
All payment arrangements:
- will be managed by us
- must include a commencement date no more than 14 days from submitting the proposal
- may be cancelled, charged interest and/or referred to debt collection if instalment(s) are not paid OR your account dishonours more than once
- will still be sent rates notices for your reference only.
Submit a payment arrangement form
What is financial hardship?
Our Financial Hardship Policy defines financial hardship as ‘difficulty meeting everyday living expenses’. These may include food, accommodation, clothing, health care, transport costs, education and other basic necessities.
Some of the main reasons that can cause financial hardship include:
- health issues and associated expenses
- loss of employment
- COVID-19 and associated side effects
- unforeseen circumstances
- severe mortgage stress and/or financial overcommitment.
Download our Financial Hardship Policy
Financial Hardship Policy - accessible(DOCX, 68KB)
Financial Hardship Policy(PDF, 204KB)
Whilst we can't waive rates, we can offer various other avenues of support for people experiencing financial hardship. This includes:
- deferrals
- payment plans
- waivers of interest
- waiver of collection costs.
We can also provide meaningful information on other financial assistance programs that might be available, as well as referrals to appropriate support services specialising in family violence, financial counselling and food and material aid.
Learn more about support services
Eligibility
There is no formal application form used to determine eligibility. Residents are assessed on a case-by-case basis via a meaningful two-way conversation.
Some of the indicators that may highlight a customer’s need for assistance are:
- history of frequent requests for payment extensions or payment arrangements that have not been met
- inability to afford the costs of current financial obligations, even if smoothed over a 12-month period
- payment history indicating past difficulty meeting financial obligations to Council
- eligibility for government funded concessions (e.g. Health Care Card, Centrelink benefit)
- sudden change of circumstances that adversely affects their financial capacity to pay
- referral from a financial counselling agency or community organisation
- asylum seekers or refugees who have limited access to financial stability
- people experiencing health and mental health issues
- family violence
- having a low level of income, that is unlikely to change
- currently unemployed.
Please note: to ensure we can extend a meaningful level of support to genuine hardship applicants, we may be unable to assess applications involving investment properties or properties that are not lived in by the applicant.
If you can't meet your payment obligations and need some assistance please contact us on 03 9217 2170 or fill out the enquiry form below. A financial hardship support officer will contact you within 10 business days to discuss further.
Submit a financial hardship enquiry form
Whittlesea Community Connections has developed a Financial Wellbeing booklet that provides information on how to manage your money. It also lists resources, support services as well as food and material aid services in your area.
The booklet is available in a range of languages.
Go to the Financial Wellbeing booklet