FAQs

No. NILs is not available for cash. 
You can get a No Interest Loan for an item or service. You get a quote / invoice from the supplier. On approval of your loan we pay that invoice direct to the supplier. You pay us back. NILs is not a cash loan. 

We know it can sound too good to be true — but there’s genuinely no interest, no fees and no charges.

The No Interest Loans (NILs) program is a not-for-profit community program designed to help people pay for essential goods and services when they need them most.

You borrow a small amount and pay it back in affordable instalments over time. Once your loan is repaid, those funds are used to help the next person in the community access a loan too. It’s called circular community credit.  

NILs is delivered by Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand through a network of community organisations across Australia. The program is supported by the Australian Government and delivered in partnership with National Australia Bank.

NILs cannot be used for:

• Cash 
• Rent payments 
• Existing debts
• Everyday bills (including utilities like gas, electricity, water) 
• Holidays
• Day to day expenses (Groceries, petrol)
• Rates
• Fines  
   

No. NILs is not a scam.  

No Interest Loans (NILs) has been operating in Australia since 1981.  The program is funded by the Australian Government (Department 0f Social Services) and in partnership with the National Australia Bank (NAB).  

Good Shepherd or any NILs Provider in the NILs network will never ask you for your myGov login or passwords, bank account login details or passwords or use social media to contact you or process a loan application.

If you think you have been scammed follow the steps outlined here. 

If you haven’t chosen the exact item you’d like to buy, but know the rough amount, you can talk to us about ‘pre-approval’ to see if you’ll qualify, then supply the quote or invoice later. We recommend before contacting a provider that you check your eligibility here. 

No Interest Loans CAN NOT be used for cash. We pay directly to the supplier – you pay us back!

No. Applying for a No Interest Loan (NILs) won’t affect your credit score, and we don’t do credit checks for most NILs loans.

Instead, we’ll talk with you about your income, expenses and what you can comfortably afford to repay over time. Our goal is to make sure the loan helps you get what you need now, without putting extra pressure on your finances.

NILs is designed to help people access essential goods and services without turning to high-interest loans or going without. We’ll only approve a loan if the repayments are manageable for you.

Please note: if you’re applying for a NILs Vehicle loan, a credit check is required.

Yes. You must by 18 years or older.  

Yes. NILs is the best loan option for pensioners, people on fixed incomes and low-income Aussies seeking no-interest loans for household and medical essentials.

For example, if you need medical or dental services, and are on a pension, NILs can help with a no interest loan of up to $2,000. We’ll pay for the services, and you’ll be able to pay us back in small amounts.

We check that you can afford to pay us back and we set up a direct debit from your bank account or deduction from you Centrelink payment at an agreed, affordable amount.  

NILs can provide no interest loans to pensioners and people receiving Centrelink for essential items or services. See what can I borrow

No. NILs are not listed on your credit report, has no interest or fees, and the focus is on supporting your financial wellbeing. 

NILs is a safe credit product. This means we don't do credit checks, and we don't have immediate access to financial information about you. As a result, we can't do "quick checks" with "fast approval" like some of the "fast cash" services.

Depending on how quickly you can provide the requested information, approval times can vary depending on the application and supporting documents and also on the provider you go through. 

At times we receive a high volume of enquiries and all our providers do their very best to process and approve within one week.  

You may be asked to provide:

• Identification - 100 points of ID (such as a Driver’s License or Passport, Medicare card or Health Care Card, bank card or bills, something to verify your address)
• Proof of income – bank transactions and / or Centrelink statements and / or payslips
• Information that helps us determine you can repay the loan – bank transactions for all accounts and any other information on existing debts and bills 
• A quote or invoice for the item or service - the supplier’s details (business name, ABN, address, phone or email, banking or payment details), and the payment amount including delivery.  

We have prepared a document checklist for you.
 

Yes. Many people who receive Centrelink payments can get NILs.    

We often help people on Centrelink with our No Interest Loans for essential items, including household furniture and appliances. Even if you have bad credit, you can get a NILs loan while on Centrelink.

To get a NILs loan while on Centrelink, the only requirements are:

• The loan is only for essential products and services
• You live in stable accommodation (exceptions can be made in some cases)

• You have the capacity to repay the loan

   

However, we don’t want you to take out a loan if you don’t need to. We can help you with other services to support your financial wellbeing if NILs is not right for you.  

NILs is not a cash loan.

Yes. NILs is available nationally through community organisations across Australia. Face to face and telephone application appointments are available.  

Find a provider near you at: Find a Provider

Yes. A credit check is required for a NILs for Vehicles loan (up to $5,000). Credit checks are not required for NILs for Essentials or Disaster Relief.

We encourage you to check your credit report before applying. You can get a free copy of your credit report.  

If you're concerned about your credit history or need help managing debt, free support is available through the National Debt Helpline and a Financial Counsellor.

If you have a default over $500 you are not eligible to apply for NILs for Vehicles loan.

If your defaults are under $500, you must:

Have a payment arrangement in place

AND

Have made at least one payment toward that arrangement

Vehicles can be purchased from a car yard OR through private sale, however, all money is paid directly to the person or business selling the vehicle within 5-7 days from the date the correct documentation is received.

You will have 90 days (3 months) to find a vehicle and will be sent an email explaining the documents you will need to provide and next steps. 

Final approval to advance the loan is subject to completion of all relevant checks and satisfaction with the paperwork you provide for the specific vehicle you would like to purchase.

Yes, if you have your own savings you can combine with the NILs for Vehicles loan and put it towards the vehicle purchase.

For example, you can buy an $8000 car if you are approved for NILs for Vehicles loan of $5000 and have $3000 savings. You cannot take out another loan to combine with NILs for Vehicles loan.

Multiple loans cannot be used to purchase a motor vehicle. For example, two separate applicants cannot apply for $5,000 each to purchase a $10000 car.

No, you cannot use a NILS for Vehicles loan to purchase a vehicle from friends, family or from somebody that you know or have a financial connection to.

No. We understand that recovery can take months or even years, and the impacts of a disaster may not be felt straight away.

If you've been affected by a natural disaster and meet the eligibility criteria, we encourage you to contact your local NILs provider to discuss your circumstances and the support options available.

Following a natural disaster, State and Federal Governments often make a range of free financial assistance and support services available to affected individuals and communities.

Before applying for a loan, we encourage you to explore any government assistance you may be eligible for and speak with local community services about the support options available to you. A NILs loan may be appropriate if you still have essential costs that are not covered by other forms of assistance.

You may still be eligible for a standard NILs loan, depending on your circumstances and what you need support with.

We encourage you to check your eligiblity and contact us or your local NILs provider to discuss your situation and explore what support options may be available.

If you do not meet the qualifying criteria you may not be eligible: 

• You do not have a pension or health care card
• OR:  You are single and earn over $70,000 (before tax) 
• OR: You live as a couple, couple with dependents or single with dependents and earn over $100,000 before tax.
   

If you already have a NILs and have a current or previous loan that isn’t being paid off, you can’t apply for extra credit or a new loan until you’ve caught up what you owe (including old un-paid loans).

Being able to afford the repayments is important. If taking out a No Interest Loan will help you get what you need now, and you qualify, we can work with you to set up a loan term (12, 18 or 24 months) that is affordable for you. 
You can check if the loan is affordable for you here. 

If taking out a loan is not the right option for you now we can still help. Talk to us about what other options are available or go here.

Having existing debt does not automatically make you ineligible for NILs. Each application is assessed individually to understand your current financial situation and whether the loan repayments will be affordable for you.

We will work with you to review your income, expenses and existing commitments to help determine whether NILs is a suitable option.

We recommend you check your eligibility and check if you can afford to pay back – then contact us to apply and we can discuss it with you.  

If you have experienced domestic violence in the past 10 years you may be eligible for NILs. You will not be asked to re-tell your story or provide evidence.  

If you have experienced domestic violence in the past 10 years you automatically qualify for a No Interest Loan.  There are no other conditions for qualification like income or any other eligibility criteria.  

We would still need to check that a No Interest Loan is right for you and that you can afford to repay the loan.  

Check if you are eligible here: Check my eligibility

It’s not the end of the road. We can support you with referrals to other services to improve your financial wellbeing.

The maximum loan term is 24 months.  Most NILs loans are repaid in terms of 12, 18 or 24 months, depending on the loan amount and your financial situation.

No Interest Loans for Vehicles have a loan term of up to 48 months.

Yes. You can make extra repayments or pay off your loan early at any time with no penalties or fees.

Repayments are based on what is affordable for your situation. The aim is to make repayments manageable and sustainable. Repayments can be up to 24 months, but we will help you decide this loan term based on what’s affordable for you.

Repayments are usually made fortnightly to align with your income or Centrelink payments, but arrangements may vary.

Repayments can usually be made through:

• Centrepay
• Direct deposit (EFT payments)
• Direct debit

No. NILs loans have:

• No interest 
• No fees 
• No charges 

You only repay the amount borrowed.  For example, is you borrow $1,000 you pay us back $1,000, no extra.  
 

If you are experiencing financial difficulty, contact your NILs provider as soon as possible. Support may be available to adjust repayment arrangements.

If you think you may miss a repayment, it’s important to contact your NILs provider early to discuss options and support.

This depends on your current repayments, affordability and provider assessment. Some people may be eligible for another loan after demonstrating consistent repayments.

Once your loan is repaid, your NILs loan is complete. Many people feel proud of achieving their repayments while accessing essential goods and services.

Some NILs providers may send reminders or updates about repayments and balances.

In some situations, repayment arrangements may be reviewed if your circumstances change. Contact your NILs provider to discuss available options.

We would love to talk to you! Fill in your details via our form and a member of the Good Shepherd No Interest Loans Team will be in touch soon.

We have a Marketing Portal for you to access, build and customise your own materials and use straight away.  Customise your materials by adding your organisation’s logo and contact information to reach people and drive them straight to you for No Interest Loan support.

To access our Marketing Portal click here. Link to provider resources page

If you have feedback on the Marketing Portal or the materials available to you contact: [email protected] 

Good Learning is a digital learning and resource platform for our NILs community service provider network across Australia. Housing our latest and most up to date policy documents and learning calendar and resources + more.

You can access our Good Learning platform here.

If you require additional support with Good Learning contact the Good Learning Team via email [email protected]  

Yes. Personal information is handled confidentially and in line with privacy requirements.

Please visit our scams and safety page.  Follow the steps outlined on this page.