February is piling up with credit card debt, back-to-school bills and higher interest rates – so the time is more than ripe for the latest Bring Your Bills day in Springvale next week.
Bring Your Bills is a pressure valve, offering relief for hundreds struggling with household bills.
And the need is ever-growing, says South East Community Links chief executive Peter McNamara.
“We have no doubt that it will be our biggest ever.
“The first credit-card bills are coming in from the December period and there’s the back-to-school costs and energy costs.
“The latest interest rates rise is also significant. Generally it takes three months to hit home but with people already highly vulnerable with debt.”
Many attendees were “working-class” people toiling on two or three jobs or young people trying to get an education, he says.
“We know it’s tough, really hard for many people across the community.
“We want the community to know they’re not alone, that there are solutions out there.”
In 2025, BYB provided a massive $8.1 million of financial relief at four events in the South East.
This included $350,000 in debts waived and $550,000 of grants, concessions and hardship payment plans.
Last year, more than 1200 attended, with more than half reporting that they couldn’t pay their bills.
Tellingly, 79 per cent had not spoken to their service provider for help.
The top five issues were energy and water bill stress, rental and mortgage stress, access to utility bill relief, Centrelink entitlements and credit loan stress.
The biggest growing stressor is Australian Taxation Office bills, with McNamara critical of the ATO “brutally” seeking to bankrupt vulnerable clients before SECL stepped in.
He also wants “constipated” bureaucracies to unlock affordable housing – which is fundamental to easing other financial stresses.
The vast majority of BYB attendees are renters – who on average suffer between five and eight other financial concerns. Mortgagees are burdened with two or three debt issues.
“People will go without to pay their mortgage or their rent, but it’s those supplementary costs like water and energy that are buckling them.
“Let’s not forget about people just trying to get on with their lives.”
BYB offers practical, on-the-spot help with electricity, gas, water, phone and other household bills next week, with representatives from banks, utility companies and ombudsmen.
There will also be expert advice on tenancy rights, fines, concessions and consumer issues, as well as free financial counsellors, bilingual staff and interpreters on site.
Bring Your Bills is at Springvale City Hall, 18 Grace Park Avenue, Springvale on Tuesday 24 February, 10.30am-3pm. Free event.
