Financial Independence Hub

FIH is a recovery service. For immediate crisis support, see below:

In an emergency please call 000

If life is tough and you want to talk about it, Lifeline is there to listen.

Call 13 11 14

Text 0477 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au

To talk about domestic violence or sexual abuse, please call 1800 737 732 or chat online at 1800respect.org.au

The Financial Independence Hub

Free, confidential, on-going support for people who have experienced financial abuse – feel more confident with money and plan for the future.

Call us on 1300 050 150 – or click the button below to call.

Mon – Fri, 7am – 7pm ADST

You can also email us at fih@goodshep.org.au .

*Interpreter services available

Call Us

What is 'financial abuse'?

Financial abuse is when a partner, another loved one or family member, or another person, uses money to hurt, control or manipulate you. Financial abuse is a form of family & domestic violence. It is also a type of ‘coercive control’.

It’s not normal, and it’s not right.

Has something like this happened to you?

Your partner asked to see your receipts and justify all of your spending
You were given an ‘allowance’ and had to pay all the expenses out of it, with nothing left over for yourself
You couldn’t access your own bank account or a joint bank account
Not being allowed to see the bills OR having to pay for another person’s bills with your money
You had to use all your money for household expenses – with others refusing to pay their fair share
Your partner or ex-partner not paying some or all of the child support
Someone threatening to take all your money, or to stop paying for things, in order to control you
Being forced to take out loans or credit in your name
Not being allowed to work when, where and how much you want to
Not having control over your own money
Someone told you you’re not smart enough to handle money, so they need to be in control

"I felt more confident with money, that I was back in control."

Survivors of financial and domestic abuse may be left with a mountain of debt, have poor credit scores, or just find it hard to deal with money. If you’ve been through a situation where someone has tried to control you with money, work or other financial matters, we can help you sort things out.

The Financial Independence Hub (FIH) is a free recovery program to help people get back on track. We’ll listen, we’ll understand, and we won’t judge you.

If you’re ready to move forward, or just want to chat, we’re here to support you.

Get in touch today

The Financial Independence Hub supports people of all gender-identities who:

have experienced ANY kind of financial abuse 
are not in crisis right now
are ready to consider your financial future
are over 18 years old and live in Australia

You do not have to be a permanent resident or have a visa. We can organise a translator if you need one.

The Financial Indepence Hub (FIH) is FREE and completely confidential. It’s available to you regardless of who you bank with. You do not need to provide evidence or tell your story to access the service.

Your FIH coach will support you as long as you need it. Some people just need to talk things through a bit. Some people need more support. Your FIH coach will listen to you and help you sort out how to move forward. We can also refer you to other services, attend appointments with you, help you work out a budget or negotiate debt. YOU decide how we can support you.

Being supported by an FIH coach may help you:

feel more confident about dealing with money and making decisions
be more in control of your finances
find it easier to manage things independently

We're here to listen and help you move forward.

Sometimes it’s hard to know if you’ve experienced financial abuse. You know that something’s not quite right but you’re not sure what to do.

Whatever your situation, you can talk it through with us. Call us to have a chat. It’s completely confidential and free. We’ll listen and help you decide what to do next.

Call us today on: 1300 050 150

Mon – Fri, 7am – 7pm ADST

*Interpreter services available

Call Now

Understanding financial abuse

You have left the abusive situation and are taking steps to move forward

After you’ve left the abusive situation, having physical space may give you an opportunity to focus on your recovery and feel ready to think about the future.

You might still have ‘ties’ to the perpetrator (for example, they may need to pay child support, or you still have accounts in both names, or there are court proceedings pending).

But having your own space can help you process what’s happened and think more clearly about what to do next. Talking with your FIH coach can be a ‘safe space’ where you can figure things out.

If you did not have access to your own money

Your dedicated Financial Independence Hub (FIH) coach can support you to open and manage your own bank account. They can help you work through your expenses. They can work with you to sort out any outstanding bills or payments.

If you’d like, your coach can talk you through how to put together a budget and develop financial goals.

If you'd like to talk about money and finances - in a safe environment

Talking about money can feel strange and uncomfortable. Especially if money has always been a source of arguments. We encourage you to ask questions around money and finances – and there’s no such thing as a ‘dumb’ question.

Your FIH coach can answer your questions in a way that makes sense and is not complicated. We take a trauma-informed approach and work with your strengths.

Your coach can also help you apply for a No Interest Loan if you need to pay for essentials like bond or car rego, a washing machine, phone or a laptop, or education or medical expenses.

If you're not sure you experienced financial abuse

You might know 100% that what you went through was financial abuse. Or you might not be sure. Our friendly and trained team of coordinators and coaches can help you better understand your situation and what to do next.

There’s no right or wrong way to move forward. Go at your own pace. We’ll walk alongside you every step of the way.

If you've found out about debt in your name

Your FIH coach can refer you to a specialist financial counsellor to explore your options. Being left with debt can be scary and confusing. Talking with someone who understands and won’t judge you, can help you decide what to do next.

If someone has stopped you from working or studying

Your FIH coach can talk to you about your goals.

Do you want to find a job, or go back to school? Maybe you’ve always wanted to start your own business but weren’t “allowed” to. Do you need support dealing with Centrelink?

Your coach can help you put together a plan, one step at a time, to get through this.

Are you at risk of someone checking where you've been online?

Click on the red button to the right, to find info on how to erase your browser history or search in a ‘hidden’ or ‘incognito’ mode. This will take you to a different site, FamilyViolenceLaw.gov.au

A person whose behaviour is violent or abusive may use technology to harass, watch, track, control, or harm you
There are always some risks to privacy and personal information when using technology. You always leave a digital trail so it may be important to use a safer device
There is a RED BAR at the bottom of this page that you can click to leave this page quickly. Clicking this will NOT erase your browsing history. Below we’ve put some links from FamilyViolenceLaw.gov.au – a government website that helps victim-survivors of family violence.
If you’re worried about someone finding out what websites you’ve visited or things you have downloaded, see deleting your browsing history and deleting your download history.
Think about using private browsing so the websites you visit aren’t logged on your device.
If you’re worried about someone monitoring your online activity using spyware or monitoring devices, see making sure my technology is safe.
You may want to sign out of any accounts like Google or Facebook before viewing this website, as they can store information about websites you have visited.
For more information on using technology safely see, see making sure my technology is safe.
Safer devices are things like phones or computers that a person who has been abusive or violent has not and will not be able to access
There may be more risks to your privacy and safety if someone who has been abusive or violent has had physical access to the device you are using
Most local libraries have computers you can use for free
If you have a trusted friend or counsellor they may have a phone or computer you could use
Some people being monitored choose to use a new device to have private conversations. You could also create a new email account that is not connected with your old account
This page from 1800RESPECT.org.au contains tips for using technology if you are being abused and how to stay safe online
This page from WomensAid.org.uk has more info on staying safe online.