Financial Hardship Assistance
We get that unexpected things can happen, and this can make it difficult to maintain your loan repayments.
Many people find it embarrassing to admit they are in financial hardship, but it’s important to remember that the sooner you talk to us, the sooner we can work together to help improve your situation.
What is financial hardship assistance?
You may require financial hardship assistance if you’re having difficulty meeting your financial obligations - like paying bills or making repayments on your loan or credit card. This can occur for a variety of reasons, including:
- unemployment or a reduction of income
- injury or illness
- natural disasters such as bushfires, floods or cyclones
- a death in the family or other significant life event
- an increase in other bills or expenses
Our approach to financial assistance
We’re committed to helping our customers who are experiencing financial difficulty. We encourage you to talk to us directly to explore available options.
During our discussions we’ll ask a few questions to help our assessment:
How do I apply for financial assistance?
If you’re experiencing financial difficulty and are unable to afford your loan repayments, groceries or general daily expenses, please apply for financial hardship assistance or contact us on 137 377, Mondays to Fridays, 8:30am - 5:30pm (AEST/AEDT).
We offer payment options which are designed to temporarily assist when your ability to meet your loan repayments has been impacted. These may include:
- Repayment holidays
- Postponement of payments
- Loan variations
- Arrears capitalisation
Or if you wish to nominate someone to speak on your behalf, please complete the Third Party Authorisation form and send this to us via one of the following methods:
Email: assist@pepper.com.au
Post: PO Box 244 Parramatta CBD NSW 2124
Fax: 1300 597 864
Your request will be treated in the strictest confidence as we work together to find a solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’ve missed a payment (or multiple payments) on your loan, please give our collections team a call on 137 377 between 8am to 6pm (AEST/AEDT) Monday to Friday to discuss the situation and see how we can help.
We understand sometimes there are unforeseen circumstances that mean you are unable to meet your repayments. When something like this happens, give us a call on 137 377 between 8am to 6pm (AEST/AEDT) Monday to Friday and we’ll work with you to manage your loan.
We’ll contact you within 21 days of your request. We may need to contact you in writing to request information from you in order to help us make our decision. When you make your application for financial assistance, all collections and legal activities will be suspended until we have made our decision or until the hardship period has ended.
- You can have the decision reviewed further by our Customer Resolutions Team. You can contact them directly on 137 377 between 8am to 6pm (AEST/AEDT) Monday to Friday.
- You can ask a court to delay enforcement action against you.
- You can also have the decision reviewed by the Australian External Dispute Resolution Scheme, The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), a service that is available to you free of charge.
- You may also choose to speak to a financial counsellor. You can find a list of external resources that can assist you with finding a financial counsellor here.
Your credit rating is unlikely to be impacted by a request for hardship assistance as long as you meet the requirements of your hardship arrangement. However, your credit report will show whether your payments have been impacted by a financial hardship arrangement.
The National Debt Helpline website provides step-by-step guides to help you manage your debt problems. Alternatively, if you feel like you need more guidance, call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 to speak to a financial counsellor who can provide a free, independent and confidential service. You can also find a lot of helpful financial information on www.moneysmart.gov.au.
To help understand the process when applying for Pepper Hardship assistance, view our Fact Sheet here or call our team on 1800 356 383.
When times are tough, we're here to help
There are always options available to you. Take a look through our hardship and support articles, but if you can't find the answer you're looking for then reach out to us on 137 377.
Information provided is factual information only and is not intended to imply any recommendation about any financial product(s) or constitute tax advice. If you require financial or tax advice you should consult a licensed financial or tax adviser.
All applications are subject to credit assessment, eligibility criteria and lending limits. Terms, conditions, fees and charges apply.
The results of the borrowing power calculator are based on information you have provided and is to be used as a guide only. The output of the calculator is subject to the assumptions provided in the calculator (see 'about this calculator') and are subject to change. It does not constitute a quote, pre-qualification, approval for credit or an offer for credit and you should not enter commitments based on it. The interest rates do not reflect true interest rates and the formula used for the purpose of calculating estimated borrowing power is based on the assumption that interest rates remain constant for the chosen loan term. Your borrowing power amount will be different if a full application is submitted and we complete responsible lending assessment. The results in the calculator do not take into account loan setup or establishment fees nor government, statutory or lenders fees, which may be applicable from time to time. Calculator by Widgetworks.
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