Hardship Concessions

Townsville City Council recognises the need to support its residents more than ever in light of recent disasters. Council also understands financial hardship is not just isolated to disasters such as floods and cyclones. That is why the ‘Hardship Concession Policy’ has been created, easing financial burdens on a range of circumstances that can cause financial difficulties.

Hardship concession circumstances include, but are not limited to:

• Loss of employment of the landowner or family member;
• Family breakdown, including domestic violence;
• Physical and mental health issues, including illness, physical incapacity, hospitalisation, or mental illness of the landowner or landowner’s family member;
• A disaster within the Townsville Local Government Area affecting the landowner or their dependants;
• A death in the family of the landowner; or
• Other factors resulting in unforeseen change in the landowner’s capacity to meet their payment obligations, whether through a reduction in income or through an increase in non-discretionary expenditure.

The following types of concessions will be provided:

• a 3-month (interest-free) deferral of the due date (and discount date) for the rates or charges; or
• a 12-month interest free payment plan which will see all overdue and upcoming rates paid within that timeframe.

If any ratepayers have been severely impacted by COVID-19 or any other hardship circumstances, and experiencing financial hardship, please fill out the below online form or contact Council to discuss individual payment plans on 13 48 10.