Financial Independence Hub

For immediate crisis support, see below:

In an emergency please call 000

If life is tough, 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, call 1800 737 732

OR text 0458 737 732 OR chat online at 1800respect.org.au

The Financial Independence Hub does not provide immediate financial assistance.

To apply for immediate financial assistance for material aide (for example; groceries, utility bills) please visit Ask Izzy to find your nearest provider.

Ask Izzy

Have you been through family and domestic violence and lost confidence with money?

The Financial Independence Hub (FIH) is a FREE and CONFIDENTIAL service to help you move forward.

If someone has tried to control you with money, it could be financial abuse. They might have left you with debt. Or controlled how much you work.

Feel more confident with money and make your own choices. We’ll listen, we won’t judge, and we’ll help you get back on track.

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

Mon – Fri, 7am – 7pm (Syd/Mel time)

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

*Interpreter services available

Call Us

Has financial abuse happened to you?

What are the signs of financial abuse? They control all the money. They make you feel useless.

We can help you sort through the mess.

Click here to learn more about financial abuse.

‘Financial abuse left me feeling very lost’ ‘ashamed’ ‘low confidence’ ‘sub-human’.

‘Rather than being co-dependent, I needed to find my independence.’

Hear their stories – click here.

‘When it was all over, I was left with nothing except a pile of debt.’ It’s hard to know what to do next.

Get support to move forward – click here.

We are here to listen and help you move forward.

Sometimes it is hard to know if you’ve experienced financial abuse.

You know that something is 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 is completely confidential and free. We will listen and help you decide what to do next.

Call us today on: 1300 050 150

Mon – Fri, 7am – 7pm (Sydney/Melbourne time)

*Interpreter services available

Call Now

"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.

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?

Not having control over your own money
Someone takes out loans or credit in your name or forces you to take out loans
Being asked to see your receipts and justify all of your spending
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 your money, or stop paying for things, to control you
Left with all the debt and bills after a relationship
Not being allowed to work when, where and how much you want to
Not having control over your own money

Want to get in contact with The Financial Independence Hub?

I want to get in touch for myself I want to refer someone else into FIH

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

have experienced ANY kind of financial abuse 
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 an interpreter if you need one.

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

Talking to one of our coaches 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
work through debt and options to reduce it

We will walk along side 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 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.

Take back control.

Financial abuse, like all family and domestic violence, is about control and power. It is just as harmful as physical abuse.

If you feel lost, afraid, alone, hurt, you can talk to us.

We’ll help you sort out the mess and get control over your finances again.

Call the FIH team today on: 1300 050 150

Mon – Fri, 7am – 7pm (Sydney/Melbourne time)

It’s free, confidential, and we will truly support you.

*Interpreter services available

Call our team

Are you a worker/volunteer wanting to refer your client to FIH?

Click through to fill out the client referral form

Refer your client here

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.