Our phone service will be limited for the Victorian public holiday on Friday 25 September 2026.
Responding to consumers in financial hardship
1 September 2021
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s latest systemic investigation reveals while most telcos have robust policies for dealing with financial hardship, the policies are not always applied consistently. Consumers in vulnerable circumstances continue to experience barriers when accessing support.
The report identifies four key areas of improvement for providers in responding to consumers in financial hardship:
- Accessible, proactive and timely hardship assistance
- Effective hardship arrangements that factor in consumers’ circumstances
- Payment plans recorded and applied accurately
- Regular engagement with consumers to support better outcomes
Questions?
For more information, email[email protected]
Stay up to date with the TIO
Sign up to our latest news, insights and tips to help you with your phone and internet problem
Related systemic reports
View all- Systemic ReportsRead more about Left behind: Experiences of telco consumers living in regional, rural and remote Australia
Left behind: Experiences of telco consumers living in regional, rural and remote Australia
13 Aug 2026
Drawing on nearly 28,000 complaints, this TIO report explores the experiences of telco consumers in regional, rural and remote Australia, highlighting connectivity challenges, safety risks and barriers to accessing reliable services.
- Systemic ReportsRead more about Keeping connected – Experiences of telco consumers in financial hardship
Keeping connected – Experiences of telco consumers in financial hardship
7 Aug 2025
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) released the report Keeping connected – Experiences of telco consumers in financial hardship. Drawing on more than 900 complaints, the report found telcos do not always provide consistent support to consumers experiencing financial hardship.