The Small Business Bushfire Financial Counselling Support Line (1800 413 828) and website (www.smallbusinessbushfire.org.au) have been established to help give small businesses that have been affected by the bushfire.
The new service has come about as a direct response from the Federal Government to the devastating bushfires that swept large parts of Australia in recent months.
The financial counselling sector has long advocated for funding to establish a specialist telephone support line for small business owners. In the UK, Business Debtline has been running for a number of years.
Small business financial counsellors help sole traders and people who run small businesses in many ways. They provide advice on among other things:
- options for managing business debts as well as personal debts
- the implications for directors who have guaranteed a business loan or other service/supply
- how to dispute business debts in external dispute resolution schemes
- how to negotiate repayment arrangements on tax debts, leases, utility bills, with suppliers or any other business debt
- what government services and grants may be available to help small businesses.
They are also trained in negotiation and counselling and to offer emotional support.
