Help with money worries

We are a resilient and resourceful people who have taken care of Country and our mob for generations. We take pride in knowing how to take care of business even during difficult times.

A cancer journey is one of those difficult times. Cancer not only impacts our bodies and wellbeing, but it can also cause worries about things like:

less money coming in because you have to take time off work for treatment
having enough money to look after children and family who are in your care
how to pay for travel and accommodation during treatment
covering your rent or mortgage and other bills as well as any additional costs related to treatment

We should never let money worries get in the way of having treatment. There are many ways to get help to navigate money worries during your cancer journey. Here are some places other mob have said helped them.

Places that offer help

Community Health Service: Your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health service can offer you advice and link you to financial services to help you during your cancer journey. Yarn with your doctor, nurse, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker.
Cancer Council: The Cancer Council might be able to help if you have money or legal worries. Call 13 11 20 for support and see if they can help.
Can Assist: People in rural NSW can call Can Assist on 02 8217 3400. It helps with money and somewhere to stay for people with cancer.
Centrelink: There’s a Centrelink Indigenous Phone Service on 1800 136 380. Yarn with them and explain the financial burdens you have because of cancer. They can offer advice about payments and support.
National Debt Hotline: Call the National Debt Hotline on 1800 007 007. They give free financial advice. They can yarn with you about things like phone, gas, water and power bills. It’s private and confidential.
Utility Services: Phone, gas, water and power companies often offer support to their customers who are struggling under financial pressure. Yarn with customer support and tell them about your situation. You can discuss options like payment plans to ensure your services stay connected.
Legal Aid: There are legal aid services around Australia. They give free advice to lots of people who are having trouble paying utility bills. Check this legal aid list about who to call.
Civil Law Service: If you are in NSW, there’s a special Civil Law Service for Aboriginal Communities – you can call the helpline on 1800 793 017 and yarn with mob about how to manage your bills.
ASIC: Call the ASIC Indigenous Help Line on 1300 365 957 to get advice on with banking, insurance or other money worries. They also have a MoneySmart website.

Legal Services

There are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Legal Services all around Australia:

ACT/NSW

Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT
1800 765 767 for police and court matters
1800 733 233 for care and protection matters

Cancer in our mob

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Life with and after cancer

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Help with money worries