helpline

1800 413 828

About Us

The Small Business Debt Helpline is a not-for-profit that helps small business owners and sole traders in financial difficulty.

Our service is free, independent and confidential – no strings attached.

Our team of qualified financial counsellors are great listeners. They can answer your questions and give you advice to help get your business back on track.

What we do

We’re experts in small business finance, debts, negotiating and counselling.
We can help you with:
  • understanding business and personal debts, and personal guarantees and their implications
  • grants and training for small business owners that you may be able to access
  • considering business viability and whether your business can survive
  • disaster relief for events such as bushfires and COVID-19
  • options for payment arrangements with the Australian Tax Office (ATO), creditors, suppliers and service providers
  • information about closing your business, including bankruptcy and insolvency
  • where you can access dispute resolution
  • emotional support.

If we can’t help you with something – such as legal or health issues – we’ll connect you with someone who can.

Get free and confidential advice from a professional financial counsellor.
CALL THE SMALL BUSINESS DEBT HELPLINE TODAY ON 1800 413 828.
The sooner you call, the sooner we can help.

Who we are

The Small Business Debt Helpline was set up in 2020 by Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) with funding from the Australian Government. The Helpline was originally established as the Small Business Bushfire Financial Counselling Support Line.

Our services are free, independent, confidential and impartial. Our professional financial counsellors offer a listening ear and practical business advice. Unlike lenders, financial planners and debt management companies, we don’t sell anything or work on commission.

Learn more about financial counselling on the FCA website.

Connecting you to the right help

Business finances can have a big impact on other areas of your life, including personal finances, relationships and mental health.
Talking to a small business financial counsellor is a great place to start to get help. If you need more support, we can connect you with other services and organisations, including:

We're here to help

If you or someone you know is struggling with business finances, get help today. Call 1800 413 828 from 9am to 5.30pm AEDT, Monday to Friday.
We will give you options and help you take the next step. The sooner you call, the sooner we can help.