No Interest Loans to reach an additional 1.3 million Australian households
Tuesday 4 August 2022
*Image description: ‘Pictured to the right: NILs client and single mother of two, Rosetta Ianchello. Photo credit: ABC News.
Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand has expanded its No Interest Loans (NILs) scheme to help an additional 1.3 million Australian households manage their budgets.
NILs, which provides eligible Australians with access to safe and affordable credit, has increased from $1500 to $2000 to help alleviate some of the rising cost of living pressures.
According to Good Shepherd data, an increasing number of clients have turned to payday lenders to manage their finances, with one in three women and one in five male NILs applicants having Buy Now Pay Later debts.
“With the rising cost of fuel, food, energy prices and affordable housing, we know from our staff on the front line that it is tough for some of our clients to make ends meet,” Good Shepherd CEO Stella Avramopoulos said.
“We have seen an increase in requests for loans to pay for essential living costs such as rent, overdue utility bills and medical expenses. That is why having access to safe, fair, and affordable credit, is a smart way to manage your household budget.
Single mother of two, Rosetta Inachello took out a No Interest Loan earlier this year and said she was thrilled to discover that the scheme existed. It is helping her stay on top of her budget.
“I have been through a pretty tough time, so having a No Interest Loan where the repayments automatically come out of my account fortnightly has been very manageable because of the no interest,” Ms Ianchello said.
“In terms of the process, I also liked how I was guided through it. I just needed some help.”
The changes to No Interest Loans (NILs) include:
- An increase to the maximum loan amount from $1500 to $2000.
- An increase to the loan term from 18 months to 24 months.
- A change to the income eligibility from $57,000 gross annual income to $70,000 gross annual income for singles and $75,000 gross annual income to $100,000 gross annual income for multiple person households (couples and people with dependents)
- A widened scope for loan purposes which now includes costs associated with Household Essentials, Heath & Wellbeing, Education & Employment, Housing and Transport.
No Interest Loans are offered by 170 local community organisations in hundreds of locations nationally.
To find a NILs provider near you, go to the ‘Services Near Me’ page on the Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand website.
No Interest Loans (NILs) is an initiative distributed in partnership with Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand and NAB and is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.
Contact
James Lye, General Manager, Marketing and Communications
media@goodshep.org.au or 0439 301 296
About No Interest Loans (NILs)
No Interest Loans (NILs) is a community-based program that enables eligible people or families access to fair, safe and equitable credit to purchase essentials goods and services to the maximum value of $2000. Our loans come with NO fees, charges, and interest. Loan recipients only repay what they borrow. No Interest Loans can be used for household and personal expenses such as vehicle registration or insurance, medical expenses, bond or rent payments, a new fridge or washing machine, or educational expenses such as school fees or a laptop for school. Eligibility criteria apply.
About Good Shepherd
Good Shepherd Australia challenges the critical and ongoing issues facing women, girls, and families, by providing crisis services, housing, financial wellbeing and access to safe and affordable finance. Our programs and services ensure people do not fall through the cracks.
