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Financial
Counselling

What is the difference between Financial Counselling and a Financial Capability Worker?

Financial Counselling

Financial Counselling is a free, confidential, and independent service where qualified Financial Counsellors provide non-judgmental advice to help people experiencing financial difficulty understand their options, regain control of their finances, and plan their way out of debt.

Financial Counsellors can:

  • Help you understand your financial situation including debts, income, and expenses.
  • Explain your options — such as negotiating with creditors, applying for hardship arrangements, or accessing government assistance.
  • Advocate on your behalf — they can contact banks, utility companies, or debt collectors to negotiate payment plans or stop harassment.
  • Provide referrals — to legal aid, housing support, or other community services if needed.

Financial Capability Worker

A Financial Capability Worker is someone who helps people build the skills, knowledge, and confidence to manage their money day-to-day and make informed financial decisions.

Financial Capability Workers usually:

  • Teach money management skills — such as budgeting, saving, and understanding bills or contracts.
  • Support goal setting — e.g. saving for a big purchase, paying off a small debt, or avoiding payday loans.
  • Provide information — on safe credit, banking products, and government supports.
  • Offer encouragement and follow-up — helping people stick to their plans and develop long-term habits.
  • Support people applying for Concessions.

Our Financial Counselling Service Can Support You With:

Being harassed by debt collectors

Gas, electricity or phone disconnection

Being evicted from your house

Car accidents with no insurance

Tax debts

We Are Unfortunately Unable to:

  • Pay bills
  • Lend cash
  • Sell financial products
  • Provide investment advice
  • Provide Financial Planning
  • Give legal advice
  • Make financial decisions for you
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The Customer Journey with UCWB

Check Your Eligibility

Check if you live in an eligible area, based on the type of Financial Counselling you are requiring.

Complete the Financial Wellbeing Intake Form

Both clients and workers can refer in via this form. Please include as much information as possible. If you can’t complete the form please call (08) 8245 7177 and tell us that you need help to complete the form.

Form Assessment

Our intake worker will then receive your referral and will assess if Financial Counselling is the right service for you and will triage an appointment based on the urgency of your financial situation.

We Will Contact You

An Intake worker will contact you within 7 days of receiving your referral. Non-urgent appointments are usually scheduled with a 2- 3 week wait time. You will receive an email confirming your appointment date and time.

Did You Know?

Did you know that we have specialist areas of Financial Counselling?

As part of our Financial Counselling services, we also have two specialist areas:

  • Support for owners or sole traders of small businesses
  • Support for people impacted by gambling

 

Do you think you could benefit from one of these areas of specialisation? Check your eligibility below, and contact us if you have any questions.

Are You Eligible to receive Financial Counselling?

Financial Counsellors and Financial Capability Workers

Our generalist Financial Counsellors and Financial Capability Workers are funded to work with people living in the Western, Southern and Northern Suburbs of Adelaide.

Small Business Financial Counsellors

Our Small Business Financial Counsellors are funded to work with small business owners and sole traders that live across the whole of South Australia.

Gambling Financial Counsellors

Our Financial Counsellors that specialise in gambling support are funded to work in Southern suburbs of Adelaide and the Central/Hills Adelaide.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I refer my client to Financial Counselling?

Complete the Financial Wellbeing Intake Form and include as much information as possible about your clients financial situation so we can best triage an appointment.

We attempt to make first contact within 7 business days.

We are usually booked out for 2 – 3 weeks in advance, however, if your financial situation is urgent we will triage an urgent appointment for you.

No, but they will explain your rights, talk to creditors or utility providers for you, and help set up affordable payment arrangements.

Yes, Financial counselling is confidential, except in rare situations where the law requires disclosure (e.g. serious risk of harm to self, others or we are subpoenaed).

Yes, we do. We have staff that speak the following languages in this service area: Amharic, Arabic, Cantonese, Dari, Farsi, German, Hindi, Kurdish, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish, Tigre, Tigrinya

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What People Say About Us

My Financial Counsellor has helped me immensely in gaining control of my finances. He has been very empathetic to my mental health circumstances that affected my ability to get on top of finances but also my unreliability in attending appointments. He has always understood and shown compassion and a willingness to continue assisting me in getting on top of everything. Thank you.
- Adele
I am blown away by the support I have received. We were facing eviction from our rental property we had been at for the past five years, I was sleeping on a broken lounge due to it getting over used and old. My Financial Counsellor contacted my landlord and together we come up with a plan to repay the outstanding money owed, he applied for a grant for a lounge better suited to sleep on, today I am in such a better position, my mental health is so much better.
- Christine
Although there is a little way to go, I feel an enormous weight off my shoulders with the strategies the Financial Counsellor has equipped me with. I have been unable to communicate directly with the bank, creditors etc and they has done this both for me and with me. I am extremely grateful and appreciative of UnitingCare Wesley Bowden and the help I have received.
- Anonymous

Want to Learn More About Financial Counselling?

Email Our Team Members

financialhealthmailbox@ucwb.org.au

Call UCWB

08 8245 7177

Location

77 Gibson Street, Bowden SA 5007

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