National Debt Helpline

What National Debt Helpline does

National Debt Helpline (NDH) is a not-for-profit, government-funded financial counselling service operated by Financial Counselling Australia and accessible to any Australian experiencing financial difficulty. Its core product is a free, confidential, and independent counselling service delivered via a national phone helpline (1800 007 007, weekdays 9:30am-4:30pm), a website-based live chat (weekdays 9:00am-8:00pm), and referrals to a distributed network of community-based face-to-face financial counsellors across all Australian states and territories. The supporting platform is ndh.org.au, which hosts an extensive library of step-by-step debt management guides, a Find a Financial Counsellor interactive map, and structured content covering debt problems, debt solutions, and complex situations such as financial abuse, domestic violence, disasters, mental health, prison, and scams.

NDH does not charge end users - all services are free, not means-tested, and the organisation generates no commercial revenue. Funding flows from the federal Department of Social Services and the state governments of Victoria and NSW, with the original website developed through a grant from Financial Literacy Australia Ltd. The organisation operates with a lean central team and outsources service delivery to a network of community organisations and specialist referral partners covering First Nations peoples (Mob Strong Debt Help), small business owners (Small Business Debt Helpline), rural and farming businesses (Rural Financial Counselling Service), veterans (Bravery Trust), gambling-affected callers (Gambling Helpline), domestic violence survivors (1800RESPECT, Leaving Violence Program), and emergency relief (Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul, Anglicare).

The go-to-market is community-led and largely non-commercial: NDH reaches end users organically through its website, the nationally advertised phone number, referrals from partner agencies, and listings from crisis support services. The service is differentiated by its independence (it is "not a lender and does not sell anything or make money from callers"), government endorsement, and breadth of specialist referral pathways - serving as the de facto national front door for free financial counselling in Australia.

Name

National Debt Helpline

Legal name

Financial Counselling Australia

Website

https://ndh.org.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

National Debt Helpline is a free, government-funded financial counselling service operated by Financial Counselling Australia, delivering phone, live chat, and face-to-face advice to thousands of Australians each month experiencing financial difficulty, with specialist referral pathways for First Nations, veteran, rural, small business, and family violence clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Counselling Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Debt Settlement & Negotiation Services (FSAEAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Collections & Creditor Negotiation Support (Debtor-Side) (FSAEAFAI), Financial Hardship & Forbearance Assistance (FSAEAFAJ), Credit Counseling & Debt Management Plans (DMP) (FSAKAJAH), Financial Assistance & Benefits Navigation Services (BPAGAEAK)

Keywords

• Financial counselling services
• Debt management advice
• Consumer credit counselling
• Financial hardship support
• Credit and debt advice

Headquarters

HQ city

Australia (National Service)

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The National Debt Helpline is a not-for-profit service that does not generate revenue. It receives ongoing support and funding from the federal government's Department of Social Services and the state governments of Victoria and NSW. The website was developed with a grant from Financial Literacy Australia Ltd. Financial counselling services are funded by the government nationally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

National Debt Helpline delivers free, confidential, and independent financial counselling to Australians experiencing financial difficulty via a national phone helpline (1800 007 007, weekdays 9:30am-4:30pm), live chat on its website (weekdays 9:00am-8:00pm), and referrals to face-to-face community-based financial counselling services across all Australian states and territories. The service assesses clients' financial situations, develops budgets and money plans, negotiates with creditors, lodges complaints to external dispute resolution schemes, and advises on formal insolvency options including bankruptcy, debt agreements, and temporary debt protection. Specialist referral pathways exist for First Nations peoples, defence force veterans, domestic and family violence survivors, people with gambling issues, farmers, and small business owners.

Product overview

The National Debt Helpline is a not-for-profit platform providing free financial counselling services to Australians experiencing financial difficulty. The core offering consists of telephone counselling (1800 007 007, weekdays 9:30am-4:30pm) and live chat support (weekdays 9:00am-8:00pm), supplemented by an interactive Find a Financial Counsellor map for face-to-face services. The platform offers step-by-step educational guides covering debt problems, debt solutions, and complex financial situations including disasters, family violence, mental health issues, prison, and scams. Specialist services are available for specific populations including First Nations peoples (Mob Strong Debt Help), small business owners (Small Business Debt Helpline), veterans (Bravery Trust), and those affected by family and domestic violence or gambling issues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Debt Helpline Financial Counselling (Phone) A free, confidential, and independent financial counselling service delivered by phone on 1800 007 007, weekdays 9:30am-4:30pm, providing Australians experiencing financial difficulty with advice on debt management, creditor negotiation, hardship applications, budgeting, and formal insolvency options.
• Live Chat Financial Counselling A free, real-time web chat service available on the National Debt Helpline website, weekdays 9:00am-8:00pm, connecting individuals directly with financial counsellors for immediate support on debt problems, hardship, and money management.
• Find a Financial Counsellor Map An interactive online map that allows users to locate face-to-face financial counselling services provided by community organisations across all Australian states and territories, with referrals to specialist services for specific populations.
• Specialist Financial Counselling Referrals Warm referral pathways from the National Debt Helpline to specialist financial counselling and support services for specific populations: Mob Strong Debt Help (First Nations), Bravery Trust (defence force veterans), 1800RESPECT (domestic and family violence), Gambling Helpline, Rural Financial Counselling Service (farmers), and Small Business Debt Helpline (small business owners and sole traders).
• Step-by-Step Debt Management Guides Self-serve educational content and step-by-step guides developed by financial counsellors covering debt problems (credit cards, payday loans, Centrelink debts, utility bills, home loans), debt solutions (hardship, payment plans, consolidation, bankruptcy, debt agreements, temporary debt protection), and complex situations (financial abuse, domestic violence, disasters, mental health, prison, scams and data breaches).

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of Australians receive help from financial counsellors every year

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• 1800RESPECTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for domestic, family and sexual violence counselling and support. Callers experiencing financial hardship due to domestic violence can be referred to 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) for 24/7 support.
• Gambling HelplineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for gambling help. Financial counsellors can refer people with gambling issues to the Gambling Helpline (1800 858 858) for 24/7 support.
• Mob Strong Debt HelpminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialist First Nations financial counselling and legal advice service about credit, debt, banking, and insurance problems for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Call 1800 808 488.
• Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partner for farmers and rural businesses. RFCS providers support primary producers and small rural businesses with planning and assistance. Call 1300 771 741.
• Small Business Debt HelplineminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partner for small business financial counselling. The Small Business Debt Helpline (1800 413 828) provides advice to small business owners and sole traders experiencing financial difficulty.
• knowmore Legal ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for National Redress Scheme support. knowmore provides specialist financial counselling for people thinking about or who have applied to the National Redress Scheme. Call 1800 605 762.
• Bravery TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for veteran financial counselling. Bravery Trust provides financial assistance, financial counselling and financial education to current and ex-serving ADF members. Call 1800 272 837.
• The Salvation ArmyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmergency relief partner providing immediate assistance including food, transport, chemist vouchers, rent, accommodation, and utility bill support. Call 13 72 58.
• St Vincent de Paul SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmergency relief partner providing support for people in financial crisis. Call 13 18 12.
• AnglicareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmergency relief partner providing support services for people in financial hardship. Call 1300 111 278.
• Good Shepherd Australia New ZealandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner delivering No Interest Loans (NILs) in partnership with local community organisations. NILs provide interest-free loans up to $2,000 (or $5,000 for vehicles) for essential goods and services for people on low incomes.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• National Debtline (UK): Free UK debt advice helpline operated by the Money Advice Trust. Functionally identical to the National Debt Helpline in offering a national phone and web-based service for people struggling with debt.
• Small Business Debt Helpline: Australian free financial counselling service for small business owners and sole traders, formally linked as a referral partner of the National Debt Helpline. Comparable as a publicly-funded, free specialist debt advice line.
• Money Advice Trust: UK charity that operates National Debtline and Business Debtline. Comparable as a UK counterpart charity that runs a national free debt helpline funded by government and partners, with a similar referral and partnership ecosystem.
• GreenPath Financial Wellness: US nonprofit credit counselling agency offering free debt counselling, budgeting advice, and creditor negotiation. Highly comparable nonprofit financial counselling model serving consumers in financial distress.
• Wesley Mission Financial Counselling: Australian community-based organisation providing face-to-face financial counselling services in the same network that the National Debt Helpline refers callers into. Comparable as a frontline delivery provider of free financial counselling.
• Rural Financial Counselling Service: Australian government-funded program providing free financial counselling to primary producers and rural small businesses. Comparable as a specialist, publicly-funded free financial counselling service for a defined vulnerable segment.
• Citizens Advice: UK charity providing free, independent, confidential advice on a wide range of issues including debt. Comparable as a national, government-funded, free advice service model that connects vulnerable users with specialist support.
• Money Management International: US nonprofit credit counselling agency (formerly NFCC). Comparable mission and service offering to the National Debt Helpline, providing free debt advice and financial counselling to consumers nationwide.
• MoneySmart (ASIC): Australian Securities and Investments Commission's consumer-facing financial guidance website. Directly comparable as an Australian government-backed free resource for people managing debt and financial difficulty.
• StepChange Debt Charity: UK-based charity providing free, confidential debt advice via phone and online channels. Closely comparable mission and operating model to the National Debt Helpline, serving individuals in financial hardship through a national helpline.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-debt-helpline-aus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Debt Helpline