If your circumstances have changed and you’re finding it difficult to repay funds from a grant or payment program you were found ineligible to receive, you may be able to request hardship consideration.
This option may also be available if you are currently going through a compliance audit and are facing difficult circumstances.
This page outlines who can request consideration of hardship, how to make a request, and what support may be available.
Consideration of hardship is only available for certain grants or payment programs. It does not apply to other types of transactions such as vehicle registration, payroll tax, or applications for licences and permits.
Who can request hardship consideration?
Hardship considerations are only available in limited circumstances, including:
- you are currently going through a compliance audit or other review and we are assessing your eligibility for financial assistance, or
- when a compliance audit or other review has determined you are ineligible for the financial assistance you received, and you are required to repay those funds
- If you have already received a debt notice from Revenue NSW, you will need to contact them directly. You can find more information here.
To be considered for hardship, you will need to demonstrate that you are experiencing one or more of the following:
- domestic or family violence
- severe financial hardship
- mental health challenges
- an intellectual disability or cognitive impairment
- homelessness or risk of homelessness
- serious addiction to drugs, alcohol or volatile substances
- vulnerability as a senior person, a person in prison, a person with low literacy or education, or a person experiencing modern slavery
- insolvency
- the responsibility of acting on behalf of a deceased estate.
What hardship support may be available?
If you are eligible for hardship consideration, we will review your circumstances on a case-by-case basis. In some circumstances, where there is clear evidence of significant hardship, a debt may be written off or waived.
How to request a hardship consideration
If you’re going through a compliance audit review with Service NSW, please reply to the email you received about the audit. In your email please:
- confirm that you are seeking hardship consideration
- briefly explain which hardship circumstances apply to you (refer to the list above).
Information we may ask you to provide
When we review your hardship request, you may be asked to provide supporting documents from:
- government services that support the community
- community organisations such as charities, neighbourhood centres, or support services
- health professionals
- accredited financial counsellors who have assessed your situation.
Please don’t send us any documents unless we specifically request them.
Once all the requested information has been provided, we will review your request and email you within 28 business days with a decision.
For more information about how we collect, use and disclose your personal information please refer to our privacy collection notice.
Need support now?
If you are in crisis, you can access these services:
- Lifeline Australia – 13 11 14
- Beyond Blue – 1300 22 46 36
- NSW Mental Health Line – 1800 01 15 11
- 13YARN – 13 92 76
- NSW Domestic Violence Line – 1800 656 463
- ACON LGBTIQA+ service finder