Financial Hardship (Payment Assistance) Policy

CountryWideBB (CWBB) Version 1.0 — March 2026

Public Document CWBB is a rural‑first provider. We keep things simple, fair, and human.

1. Purpose

Life doesn’t always go to plan. Droughts, floods, job changes, health issues, family pressures — country people know hardship better than most.

If you’re having trouble paying your CWBB bill, we’re here to work with you. Our goal is simple:

• Keep you connected wherever possible, and
• Find a payment arrangement that you can actually stick to, without making things worse.

Financial hardship support is free, confidential, and available to all CWBB customers.

This policy meets the requirements of the ACMA Financial Hardship Standard (2022) and the Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code. It is written in plain English so you can understand your rights without needing a lawyer.

2. Who This Policy Applies To

This policy applies to:

• All CWBB residential and small business customers who are experiencing financial difficulty, whether short‑term or long‑term
• Customers who need assistance paying their bill or avoiding disconnection

You do not need to be on a concession card or government program to apply.

3. What Counts as Financial Hardship

Financial hardship can happen for many reasons, including:

• Loss of income or reduced hours
• Drought, flood, fire, or other natural disasters
• Illness, injury, or medical expenses
• Family breakdown or domestic and family violence
• Unexpected bills or emergencies
• Any situation where paying your CWBB bill would cause genuine difficulty

We don’t judge the reason — if you need help, talk to us.

4. How to Apply for Assistance

You can request hardship support by:

• Phone: 1800 595 191 (Mon–Fri, 1pm–10pm AEST/AEDT)
• Email: hardship@countrywidebb.net.au
• Online: Via your CWBB account portal (coming soon)

If accessibility is an issue, you can use:

• National Relay Service: 133 677
• Translating & Interpreting Service: 131 450

You can also ask a trusted support person or financial counsellor to contact us on your behalf.

5. What Support CWBB Can Offer

Depending on your situation, we may offer:

Payment Options

• A payment plan with smaller or extended payments
• A temporary pause or deferral of payments
• A split payment arrangement (current charges + small amount toward arrears)

Service Options

• Temporary plan downgrade (no fee)
• Spend controls
• Service restriction to reduce charges
• Temporary suspension to stop charges while you get back on your feet

Fee Adjustments

• Waiving late fees
• Stopping collections activity while your hardship case is active

We will always aim for a solution that is sustainable, not one that sets you up to fail.

6. Information We May Need

For simple, short‑term arrangements, we usually don’t need any documents.

For longer‑term or more complex cases, we may ask for:

• A brief statement of your financial situation
• A letter from a support worker or financial counsellor
• A statutory declaration
• Evidence of income or expenses

You do not need to provide documents if:

• You are experiencing domestic or family violence
• You only need short‑term assistance
• Providing documents would put you at risk

We will always keep your information private.

7. How We Assess Your Application

Once we have the information we need, we will:

• Review your situation
• Consider your payment history
• Look at what support options are suitable
• Contact you within 5 business days with an outcome (Requirement aligned with ACMA Standard)

If approved, we will:

• Propose a payment or service arrangement
• Send it to you in writing (email or letter)
• Start the arrangement once you confirm you agree

If your situation changes, tell us — we can review the arrangement at any time.

We do not charge any fees for hardship assessments.

8. If We Cannot Offer Assistance

If we cannot offer hardship support, we will:

• Explain why
• Provide alternative options where possible
• Tell you how to request a review or make a complaint

You can still access our complaints process even if hardship assistance is declined.

9. If You Disagree With Our Decision

You can request a review through our Complaints Handling Policy.

If you’re still not satisfied after we’ve reviewed it, you can contact the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) for independent help.

10. Your Responsibilities

While you’re on a hardship arrangement, you must:

• Make payments as agreed
• Tell us if your circumstances change
• Respond to our attempts to contact you

If you miss payments or break the arrangement, we may:

• Review the arrangement
• Restrict your service
• Suspend your service to stop further charges
• As a last resort, disconnect the service

CWBB will always try to avoid disconnection, but we must also operate sustainably as a small rural provider.

11. Finding a Financial Counsellor

Free, independent financial counselling is available through:

• National Debt Helpline: 1800 007 007
• www.ndh.org.au (find a local counsellor)

We encourage customers to seek support early.

12. Definitions

13. Enforcement & Review

CWBB will:

• Review this policy whenever laws change
• Train staff to handle hardship cases respectfully
• Keep records of hardship arrangements
• Ensure compliance with ACMA and TCP Code obligations