About My Hardship Letter

My Hardship Letter is a free tool that helps Australians ask for help when they can't keep up with a loan, credit card or energy bill.

Money trouble can happen to anyone: a job loss, an illness, a relationship ending, a natural disaster, or simply living costs rising faster than pay. Many people don't know they have the right to ask their lender or energy retailer for hardship help, or they don't know what to say. We built this site to make that first step easier.

What we do

• Help you write a clear, polite hardship letter in about 3 minutes
• Explain your rights in plain English
• Give you a simple plan for what happens next, including what to do if you're refused
• Point you to free, independent help such as the National Debt Helpline

What we don't do

• We don't give legal or financial advice about your situation
• We don't contact your lender or retailer for you
• We don't collect or store your answers. The tool runs on your own device.
• We're not a bank, lender, debt management company or government agency, and we're not affiliated with any of them

Where our information comes from

Our guidance is based on information published by Moneysmart (ASIC), the Financial Rights Legal Centre, Energy Made Easy (Australian Energy Regulator) and the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). We review it regularly, but rules can change, so always check with your lender or a financial counsellor if you're unsure.

How the site is funded

The tool is free to use. To cover our costs, this site may display advertising. Ads never change the information or letters we provide.