Financial Hardship

If you are having difficulty paying your council rates or other amounts due on time, contact us as soon as possible to request financial hardship assistance.

On this page: Available options / How to apply for assistance / Financial counselling / Related documents

Available options

We provide different payment options if you are having difficulty paying your council rates or other amounts due:

  • Flexible payment plans (monthly, fortnightly or weekly payments) to catch up with arrears and pay ongoing rates
  • Extension of time to pay the debt
  • Postponement or remission of rates, late fees or interest charges
  • Stopping debt recovery proceedings/legal actions/reminder notices

Contact us and ask to speak to our Rates Officer to discuss your options. Depending on your circumstances, we may offer a combination of these options, or request that you attend an appointment with a free accredited financial counsellor. When deciding which type of assistance is best for you, think about:

  • What your needs are
  • If you can afford the payment arrangement

If you are applying for assistance with rates, we can only accept applications if it is the only property you own in Australia. Council rates are important and if you don’t pay your rates, councils can take legal action to recover them.

Please keep in contact with us until an agreed plan is in place and stick to the payments you’ve agreed to. We understand that life can be unpredictable, so let us know as soon as possible if your circumstances change.

Other options for rate payments

The Cost of Living Concession helps people on low or fixed incomes with their general living expenses – like council rates, energy and medical bills. Visit the SA Government website to check your eligibility and find other State Government concessions such as energy, water, sewerage and the Emergency Services Levy.

This concession is paid directly into your nominated bank account from the State Government and will not appear on your rates notice.

You can use Centrepay with a long term payment arrangement if you receive any Centrelink payments.

You may be able to get assistance from your lender to pay overdue Council rates. Please contact your lender for information.

You may be able to apply for early release of your superannuation on the grounds of severe financial hardship. Contact your superannuation fund to find out their requirements.


How to apply for financial hardship assistance

You can apply for financial hardship assistance if you are struggling to pay your council rates or other amounts due to Council on time.

Step 1: Work out what you can afford to pay

Put together a simple budget and work out what you could realistically afford to pay. If you can afford to pay something, start paying the amount you can afford and contact us as soon as possible to apply for a payment plan. If you can’t afford to pay anything, call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 for free and confidential advice, or find your nearest accredited financial counselling service.

Step 2: Check for rebates and concessions

The Cost of Living Concession helps people on low or fixed incomes with their general living expenses – like council rates, energy and medical bills. Visit the SA Government website to check your eligibility and find other State Government concessions such as energy, water, sewerage and the Emergency Services Levy.

Step 3: Speak to a financial counsellor

Before you submit your application, we strongly encourage you to meet with an accredited financial counsellor.

We do not have a financial counsellor at Council, but there are many free accredited financial counselling services available. Call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 or visit:

Step 4: Submit your application

Complete your application form and send it to us as soon as possible.

If you are a financial counsellor completing on behalf of the property owner, you will need to include an Authority to Act document.

If you have an income and expenditure statement you can attach a copy, otherwise we have included an expense and income calculator in the application form.

We will assess your application within 10 working days. If we need more information, we will contact you directly.

Download the application form


Financial counselling

If you are feeling overwhelmed or need help to complete your application for financial hardship assistance, an accredited financial counselling service can provide support and advice.

National Debt Helpline Map of financial counsellors


Related documents

Last updated 4 February 2025

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