Experiencing financial hardship?
Apply for emergency relief now.


Relief when you need it!
When you’re on low income, how do you plan for those unexpected costs life throws up, like a car breaking down, or a pet getting sick? Our Emergency Relief program is for those times when you suddenly find yourself in financial stress, providing two forms of assistance to help you get out of a difficult situation. We provide utility payment assistance to help you cover bills like electricity, vehicle registration, mechanical and veterinary, freeing up funds to feed your family and stay safe. We also supply essential items like toiletries, linen and food relief to get you through your tough time. Whoever you are, however daunting your financial hardship, every story matters. There are no limitations on what you need financial assistance for, giving us flexibility to make payments towards things others can’t. And if your financial pressure is too great for us to fully reduce it, we’ll refer you to a service provider who can.
You’re 4 steps away
from financial assistance

Our Emergency Relief program is about supporting you to access to the best avenue to ensure you get maximum financial and food relief, right now. It’s designed to be fast, judgement-free, available to anyone who needs it, and may be accessed 3 (three) times within a year.
Free call us on 1300 115 799 or (08) 9729 9000
(sorry, no online forms – you need to phone)
Speak to a client services officer to book an
appointment with one of our assessments officers
Our Assessment Office will phone
you back and complete an assessment with you
If we can provide the Emergency Relief
you need, we’ll set it up for you.
To access Emergency Relief,
you’ll need:
✔️ Two (2) forms of ID (one showing your South West address)
✔️ Your most recent income statement or payslip.
Further documents may be requested during your assessment.
Where can I access Emergency Relief?
We have offices around the South West for you to freecall and access the financial assistance you need. Be sure to get in early – as we only have limited funds; all applications for Emergency Relief will be reviewed on a first come, first serve basis every day. As part of your assessment, we’ll explore your situation to help us fully understand your situation. This may include questions about the type of support you need, any support you’re currently accessing, and the circumstances that led you to require financial assistance.
Bunbury
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9am.
Appointments available until filled, daily.
Busselton
Available remotely. Please contact us to pre-book an appointment.
Collie
Every second Wednesday from 9am.
Appointment only.
Harvey
Every second Friday from 9am.
Appointment only.
Making it easy for you
People access our Emergency Relief program from all different backgrounds, cultures, and education levels. For some, speaking, reading, and writing in English doesn’t come naturally, which can make the application process daunting. That’s okay – we’re here to help you understand more.
If you:
- Don’t have a phone (or can’t easily access one)
- Are part of an Indigenous community
- Speak English as a second language, or;
- Are new to Australia or consider yourself a migrant
All we ask is for you to try your best to answer as many questions as possible, and we’ll do our best to work with that information to get you the financial assistance you need. Please note that abuse or disrespect towards our Accordwest staff will not be tolerated and may make you ineligible for Emergency Relief.
Emergency Relief with maximum impact
We’re well-resourced to provide quick, temporary financial assistance and food relief to get you out of a challenging situation. However, some situations are beyond our capacity to help. So if we can’t provide you the Emergency Relief you need, we’ll refer you to someone who can.
Rebuild your financial stability

The more you build your network of support services, the stronger position you’ll be in to move forward
and live comfortably on low income. If you need support beyond utility payment assistance or essential items
(such as financial counselling), we can refer you to other trusted providers in the South West.
Financial counselling service to help you better manage your money.
Financial counselling and financial assistance to help you when struggling with your money.
Free and confidential financial advice to help you when struggling with your finances.
Free, independent financial assistance information to help you better manage your money.
Website connecting people in need with housing, food relief, financial assistance, family violence support, counselling and much more.
A bit about Accordwest
This Emergency Relief program is funded by the Department of Social Services and Lotterywest, and brought to you by Accordwest, a not-for-profit provider of support services in the South West committed to supporting more people experiencing hardship and disadvantage to live the life they choose. For over 40 years our unwavering belief that ‘every story matters’ has influenced social change and inspired deep-reaching impacts in local communities. Today, we’re committed to providing a genuine, unbiased and supportive service, where we care and respect the individual needs of all the people we serve, whatever their culture and backgrounds.
OTHER WAYS TO ACCESS SUPPORT
If you need urgent support, please contact 000 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Additional Resources:
For please mental health support, call Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636
OR
To talk with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter call 13 YARN (13 92 76).