A story relating to ill health

A financial counsellor at UnitingCare Wesley Bowden met with a middle aged couple who both were working.  The husband had been diagnosed with a rare blood cancer and given a very poor future outlook. They both had to quit work, as he needed 24-hour care.  The husband was put on to Disability Support Pension and his wife on a Carers Payment.  The couple had debts; the main ones being a credit card and a personal loan which were both in the wife’s name.  The couple were very stressed and depressed, asking the financial counsellor about bankruptcy. The wife was on anti depressants and they were in no condition to be haggling with the bank.

The financial counsellor offered two options to this couple: Yes, bankruptcy was a viable option, or with the help of UnitingCare Wesley Bowden they could appeal to the bank to waive the debt. They didn’t really want to be bankrupt, so bankruptcy was to become plan B.

The financial counsellor approached the bank requesting they write off the debt, but the bank argued that the debt belonged to the wife, not the husband, and therefore the bank would not assist.  The financial counsellor persisted and eventually all debts were written off.  The clients still have to live with the agony of not knowing when the husband will succumb to his disease, but at least they do not have the added burden of struggling financially. A win of sorts.


A story relating to debt management

A client in her early seventies was having her finances managed by a debt management company but was finding herself with increasing money problems.  She could not afford the high fees for their services.  Some bills were not being paid and the debt management company would not negotiate with her creditors who where harassing her for money and bills that were not being paid.

Through the financial counsellor at UnitingCare Wesley Bowden the client was released from her contract with the debt management company. The financial counsellor prepared a workable budget for the woman. Together, the financial counsellor and the client negotiated affordable payment arrangements with all her creditors.


A story relating to ill health

A woman in her fifties had been out of work for some time due to ill health and the bills had been accumulating.   She came to UnitingCare Wesley Bowden for financial counselling after a stay in hospital.  Her income was the Centrelink Sickness Allowance of $463 per fortnight.  Among her debts were unpaid SA Ambulance and AGL bills. The financial counsellor applied for a special grant for debts related to the hospital stay and was successful in gaining payments for both the ambulance and electricity bills.  With these bills paid, the woman was able to manage her other expenses within her Centrelink payment.

A story relating to housing

A student in his twenties was renting a unit on his own close to his College.  One day, the front of the unit was struck by a runaway car and a large portion of the living area was significantly damaged.  The student attended for financial counselling several months following the incident because the unit was unliveable.  He therefore had to move back to live with his family which was a very long way from his College.  In addition, his landlord refused to cooperate with managing the renovations of the damaged unit.  His income was Austudy from Centrelink.  The Financial Counsellor liaised with the landlord who agreed to refund the rent money he paid whilst living in the unit when it was unsafe.  The landlord also agreed to progress renovations as a matter of urgency.  Approximately 6 weeks after attending for financial counselling, renovations were complete and the student was able to move back to his home.