Up to 6-months of free pre-paid credit to ease cost of living pressures for Aussies in need
We know that some Aussies are doing it tough right now. Everyone should have the opportunity to stay connected without compromise, and we want to do more to help make it easier.
So, we’ve extended our Top Up program to help even more people in need and made it even easier to access.
We’ve increased the value of our Top Ups to a $180 recharge with 70GB of data and unlimited calls and texts to use over six months, to help keep people who need it connected for longer.
Research commissioned by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) indicated that 25% of Australians had experienced payment difficulty or concerns in the previous 12 months for at least one of their essential services bills (telco, energy, water) and 48% of those had difficulty with their telco bills.
Aimed originally at those experiencing homelessness, domestic violence, or a natural disaster, our program now extends to even more Australians, including those in need of financial assistance.
How to get access to the help you need
Originally accessible only through community agencies and providers that use Infoxchange's services, Telstra Top Up Program can now also be accessed directly from Telstra via these channels:
- Message us - you can message us and we'll notify you when we respond. Available Monday - Sunday 7:30am - 12am (midnight) AEST
- Phone - call us on 13 22 00 and say "payment assistance" between Monday - Friday 8am - 6:30pm AEST
- Request support online - Tell us more about your situation and we'll be in touch to discuss the best option for you.
- Multilingual service - For assistance in languages other than English, call the Telstra Multilingual Service on 1800 241 600. Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm AEST.
Last financial year, Telstra provided 18,115 Top Ups to those in need, but around $3 million of assistance went unclaimed.
This year Telstra has 30,000 Top Ups on offer, worth a total of $5.4 million. We encourage those in need to take advantage of this assistance.
Partnering with community
Currently, over 1000 state-based organisations, including: Safe Steps, Anglicare, Salvation Army, Save The Children, and Uniting Care offer the program.
More and more Australians are being impacted by the cost-of-living crisis and reaching out for our support. Every day, we hear about people having to make difficult decisions and sacrifices to stay afloat. Providing our clients with the Telstra Top Up program is helping more Aussies stay connected to loved ones and maintain access to important services and information so they can focus on getting back on their feet.
-- Kasy Chambers, Anglicare Australia Executive Director
Accessing Telstra Top Up as a support provider
Registered charities and community support services using Infoxchange’s systems can offer Telstra Top Ups to clients who find themselves in vulnerable circumstances at risk of harm without assistance. If you’re a community agent interested in providing this program to your clients, learn more here.
Other ways we can offer financial support, if you need it
Our Top Up program is just one of the ways we’re supporting people to stay connected. If you’re a customer doing it tough, we also have a range of flexible long and short-term support you can access directly from us.
Some of these options include:
- Flexible payment arrangements and extensions;
- A review of your plan or pre-paid service to check you’re on the best value service for your needs;
- Support in moving to a different plan or pre-paid service;
- Concession Card discount on eligible services;
- Potential waiving of fees on a case-by-case basis, and/or,
- Longer term support based on your personal financial circumstances.
Use the MyTelstra app, call us, or head to Telstra.com to find out more about how we can help. You can also access our financial hardship policy in multiple languages.