The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) is committed to providing a service that is accessible to everyone, including giving you the information you need, in a format that works for you.

Our commitment

We are committed to being accessible to all Australians and we are particularly focussed on ensuring vulnerable and disadvantaged people can readily use our service. In line with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, AFCA is also committed to ensuring that our information and services are provided in a non-discriminatory way.

We have arrangements in place to help - we will work with you to make sure we adapt, where possible, to meet your needs.

Making a complaint to AFCA - letting us know how we can help

The first step to making a complaint to AFCA is to fill out a complaint form, either online or by hardcopy (that is returned to AFCA by email, mail or fax), or over the phone. You can find our contact details online. This is an opportunity for you to tell us about how we can help you access AFCA and/or any additional assistance you might need.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss the types of assistance we can provide or facilitate, to help you interact with us.

An AFCA staff member will contact you by phone if you have indicated on the complaint form that you may need assistance.

We will discuss with you how you would prefer to communicate with us and any other assistance we can provide.

Communicating with us - understanding the options

In addition to the accessibility services listed below we can also provide:

• A free translator, if English is not your first language (including Auslan).
• More flexibility with our process requirements.
• Referral to community support services.
• The following information is a guide to help you communicate with us.

Hearing and speech

You can contact us through the National Relay Service using:

• TTY/Voice Text Telephone
• Speak and Listen
• Internet Relay

You can also nominate email (or post) as your preferred method of communication.

Mental Health

If you have a mental health issue, we would like to understand if you see this affecting your ability to engage with us to resolve your dispute.

You can choose to:

• Nominate email (or post) as your preferred method of communication.
• Lodge your dispute over the phone.

Language

At your request:

• We can provide information about our services in different languages.
• You can write to us in your preferred language and we will have your correspondence translated.
• We can arrange for our correspondence to be translated into your preferred language.

Vision

You can increase the font size on our website as needed.

At your request:

• We can mail a dispute form to you in a large font size, e.g. 16pt or larger.
• We can print our correspondence to you in a large font size, e.g. 16pt or larger.
• You can lodge your dispute over the phone.

Third party representatives

If you would like additional support, you can appoint an authorised agent to represent you at the time you make your complaint by completing the agent authority section of the complaint form. Alternatively, you can appoint an authorised agent at a later date using the Agent Authority form or by providing verbal authority over the phone. 

Other support services

• Consumer credit legal centres - Community legal centres that provide specialised legal advice, advocacy and counselling in financial services, particularly consumer credit, banking and debt recovery.
• National Debt Helpline - Financial counsellors provide information, support and advocacy to people in financial difficulty. Their services are free, independent and confidential.
• Legal Aid Commissions - Legal Aid commissions provide services to disadvantaged clients in many areas of criminal, family and civil law, including free, confidential face-to-face legal advice and legal representation for eligible clients.
• Mob Strong, Debt Help - Part of the Financial Rights Legal Centre, the Mob Strong, Debt Help service is a free legal advice service about money matters for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from anywhere in Australia.
• ASIC MoneySmart - Online financial guidance including tips on managing money, borrowing and credit, insurance, superannuation, investing, scams and more.