What to do now
Official pages: MoneySmart, Financial hardship, National Debt Helpline, Buy now pay later, AFCA, Financial hardship complaints, AFCA, Make a complaint, AFCA, BNPL reforms. Free counselling: National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 (MoneySmart and NDH: Monday to Friday, about 9:30 am to 4:30 pm; live chat hours listed on MoneySmart).
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Contact your BNPL provider's hardship team today. Search "hardship" on the Afterpay, Zip, Klarna or other provider's website, or call the contact number in your app or statement. Say you are in financial hardship and ask for assistance. You can ask by phone, email, or chat.
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Put the ask in writing as well. Email or message: who you are, the account number, why repayments are hard right now (for example job loss, illness, reduced hours), what you can afford (or that you need a short pause), and that you want a financial hardship arrangement in writing. Keep a copy and the date.
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The provider must respond. National Debt Helpline says lenders must acknowledge your hardship request within 1 business day and respond within 21 days (unless they need more information from you). They must put your account on hold during the assessment period. They cannot sell your debt to a collector while your hardship request is active.
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Be ready with simple numbers. Providers typically ask why you need help, your income and major expenses, and what you can afford. Use MoneySmart's budget planner if you are unsure. Only agree to a plan you can keep. If you later cannot stick to it, tell the provider straight away and renegotiate (MoneySmart).
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Get free help if you need it. National Debt Helpline 1800 007 007. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: Mob Strong Debt Help 1800 808 488 (MoneySmart lists weekday hours).
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Escalate to AFCA if the provider will not help properly. From 10 June 2025, BNPL providers need an Australian Credit Licence and must be AFCA members (AFCA BNPL reforms). Lodge free at AFCA Make a complaint or call 1800 931 678. AFCA can consider hardship complaints where, for example:
- your hardship request was declined with no useful alternative or no reasons
- the provider does not respond to your hardship ask
- you receive a default notice while in financial hardship
- the provider continues debt recovery or collection activity after you asked for hardship help
- the lender does not give you a decision in writing (NDH BNPL)
This is legal information about BNPL hardship and AFCA complaint paths in Australia, not personal legal advice.
What a hardship arrangement can look like
From MoneySmart and NDH: options can include a temporary payment deferral, a lower repayment for a period, a pause on fees, or another change to the arrangement. Arrangements may be temporary or longer term. Always confirm the current details on MoneySmart and check the provider's own hardship policy.
Worked example with dates
- 1 September 2026: you lose your job and cannot meet the next Afterpay instalment. You email Afterpay's hardship team, say you are in financial hardship, attach a short budget, and ask for a three-month pause. You keep the email.
- 2 September 2026: Afterpay acknowledges your request (they must acknowledge within 1 business day, per NDH). The account is put on hold during assessment.
- 8 September 2026: no useful response. You call hardship, note the time and the staff name, and send a follow-up email referring to the 1 September ask.
- 25 September 2026: still no decision (past the 21-day response window). You lodge with AFCA online the same day and keep the AFCA case number. You also call the National Debt Helpline for a free counsellor check on what you can afford.
If collectors are already calling
Asking for hardship with the BNPL provider or AFCA member is still the first path. If a debt collector is using threats, excessive calls, or misleading conduct, see Debt collector harassment. For broader financial hardship with other lenders (credit cards, personal loans), see Financial hardship and AFCA.
For card payments you dispute as not received, see Chargebacks and debit card disputes. For old debts you believe are statute barred, see Statute-barred debt.
Side path: suitability and responsible lending
From 10 June 2025, BNPL providers must also comply with responsible lending obligations under the National Credit Act (AFCA BNPL reforms). If you believe the BNPL product was unsuitable for you when you signed up (for example, the provider did not properly assess your financial situation), you can raise that with AFCA as well. This is a separate path from hardship. Keep it brief in your AFCA complaint and let AFCA guide the process.