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Single Parent Loans

  • Find and compare multiple single parent finance options including; loans, subsidies, benefits & more.
  • Understand the qualification process see what lenders look for.
  • Get genuine money assistance options if qualifying for a loan is not a possibility.

Every bank is going to look at your repayment capacity when you apply for a loan, even if it’s secure loan (home, car, boat, etc.) where collateral is provided. But if you are a single parent, it might be even more difficult for you to get assistance when you are spending most of your money trying to raise your children.

If you are a single parent and want to apply for a loan, be warned that there are some pre-conditions that should be met. Most banks and other lending institutions will consider your loan application for a personal loan, only if you have been permanently employed for a minimum of 12 months prior to the application date. This rule might be relaxed if you receive a substantial private income or child support or alimony.

Compare Single Parent Loan Options
When considering any type of loan it is important to review all options thoroughly. Engaging with the wrong lender can worsen your financial situation. Below are some tips on how to avoid bad lenders.
• Search for company reviews online
• Search for online complaints
• Review comparison sites but be cautious, most of these sites only provide businesses that advertise with them. To find the best single parent loans available, combine your search efforts with multiple sources.
• Makes sure the businesses you review are licenced, this can be done on the ASIC website

These tips will greatly reduce the chances of you taking on a bad loan.

Quick view – See loan and benefit options for specific circumstances here.

Below are multiple loan and money assistance programs for Single Parents


 
Specialist Lenders: If government advances and non-profit loans won’t work for you, a specialist lender may be a good option. They provide loans from $1000 to $5000 and generally have flexible approval criteria, even helping those with bad credit – Learn more and apply here.

Speckle Loans: This is a small short term loan with lending amounts from $200 – $2000 with a pay back period between 3 and 12 months. Those collecting Centrelink benefits can qualify however no more than 50% of your total income can be made up of benefits.

Keystart: The Australian government has set up a number of welfare schemes to take care of its citizens, and one such initiative is the Keystart Home loan, provided by the Western Australian government. What it essentially means is that the Department of Housing also signs on when the low income earner signs on for a home loan. The Department of Housing might buy 20% or 30% of the property which is decided based on different criteria and the buyer has to pay only the rest of the home loan. This specific loan is available for single parents too, apart from people with disabilities, Aboriginals and public housing tenants, for moving on in life. Other States and Territories have similar programs.

Government Benefits: There are multiple types of benefits and loans provided to single parents and qualification depends on situation. Different schemes include help with education, general living, business and housing loans or rental assistance. In addition to benefits there are multiple grants available. Below are a few examples.

– A basic rate of up to $625.90 per fortnight.
– Telephone Allowance & Utilities assistance
– Child Care Benefit
– Health Care Card
– Rent Assistance, which is normally paid with Family Tax Benefit Part A
– Medicare Safety Net
– Schoolkids Bonus
– Newborn supplement

For a full list and details on how to apply, visit the Parenting Payment section of the Human Services site.

A quick way to see what type of benefits or loans that you may qualify for is to utilise the Centrelink calculator or estimator. This will give you a good idea of what you may be entitled to.

For information on financial assistance for household goods and vehicle maintenance or car purchase, visit our Centrelink loans section which outlines multiple non-profit loans and government Advanced Payments.

Peer-to-Peer Lending: This is a newer type of lending which is created for those in circumstances which may prevent them from getting approved by the banks. P2P lending typically has a lower cost associated to it compared to the banks and allows borrowers to obtain a higher loan amount than other low income loan options. Learn more about these funding option here.

Centrelink Loan Options: If you are a single parent collecting Centrelink benefits, there are a few no interest or low interest loan options available. These are for loan amounts up to $3000 and are ideal for household living needs and unexpected expenses. Review the different borrowing option here.


 
Shop around: Shop around before you decide on which bank, credit union or building society you want to borrow from. Personal loans will generally have lower interest rates than credit cards, so by doing comparison shopping; you will get the best rates. Check for all necessary documents, and your eligibility. Wait until you are sure to fill out the application forms; if you fill out multiple loan application forms and each one is processed; your credit rating will get adversely affected, and this is something that you can easily avoid. Get a clear idea of the qualification criteria and be truthful when comparing your situation with the acceptance criteria.

Before you decide to approach any institution for a loan as a single parent, do your homework. Find out all the necessary requirements before applying. This will improve the chances of you walking out with a successfully loan.

Whilst getting a loan can be difficult, there are options available. Depending on your situation, grants and benefits may be a alternative solution to cash flow as they can greatly reduce your monthly outgoings by subsidizing many of your expenses.

For more information on benefits for families visit payments for families.

This Post Has 38 Comments

  1. need to consolidate and get financial assistance I work full time and have my son full time and have had a few weeks unpaid leave as my sons father has just passed now I have gotten myself into debt im not sure I can get out as I already earn less than my out goings…

    please email or call with options
    0434904289

    1. Hi Sarah,

      With your particular situation, you may be able to trade your way out of debt with some creative budgeting. Contacting a free financial counsellor may be a great option for you. They can review your full set of circumstances and provide you with some professional guidance and point you in the right direction with regards to debt consolidation services if needed.

      Good luck

  2. Hi im trying to find a loan for a single mum who is behind in rent due to loosing her mother 1.5 months ago and after struggling and using all her savings to afford to get her n two children to Melbourne for her funeral has left her way behind in rent and bills and is very depressed and stressed worried that she will be evicted. What kind of help is she entitled to. Thanks any information u can give me would be a great help

    1. Hi Adele,

      Its wonderful that your trying to assist your friend in some difficult times. The first step might be to check if she is receiving all the different government benefits she may be entitled to based on her circumstances. A quick and easy way to do this is to use a Centrelink calculator. If its a matter of a cash shortage, she can apply for a Advance Payment through Centrelink or look at some low income low interest loans. Lastly, speaking to a free financial counselor can go a long way as they can provide information on all of the before mentioned and more. They also may assist in filling out paper work to help things move alone quicker.

      Regards,
      LILA

  3. our rental is getting sold – another one. Seeking a joint home loan for a disability pension with my daughter receiving parenting payment and tax benefit

  4. HI, I’m a single parent on single parent pension. I am fighting with my ex in court as his daughter sexually abused our son. I was denied legal aid (God knows why) and need to pay my lawyer. I need a good $10 000 fast. Is there anyone who can help me?

    1. Hi Ange,

      With regards to your situation it may be best to speak to your local financial counsellour. They will be able to provide you with more detail on possible legal assistance and give you better guidance on loan options. Most of the options we provide detail on here are for lower sums and are generally reserved for daily living needs.

      Regards,
      LILA

  5. Hi I’m a single mum only on Centrelink benefits and trying to move out of my parents house as it’s not safe enough for my baby but all rentals in my area are too expensive and homes west housing is a 7yr wait. Is there any other options for me.

  6. Hi I’m a single full time working mother
    I would like to buy a house.but with my rent being over 430 a week I’m not able to save the deposit needed
    I have a good payment history with my rent
    Do you know anyone that could help me

  7. Hi i am going through family court to get custody of my 4 children as thier father has taken them off me and i have to go through court to get them back. They are 5hrs away in the country and i have to drive to see them on weekends and my centrelink has been changed to newstart allowance and its only not much more than 260week which doesnt cover rent bills and exspenses and i have to drive a 10hr round trip to see my children which is over $100 in petrol plus nappies and groceries when i have them in my care on weekends. I stay at a friends house with us all in one room. The court has ordered my visits so if i cant make it i lose chance of getting them back but it is almost financially impossible to get up to visit them asweĺl. Is thier any help for me financialy ie: petrol vouchers. Please i need help

  8. Hello,
    I am a 21yr old single mother with full custody of a newborn, I really need a car but I am only on Centrelink single parents benefits, I have a good record with rent and other payments.
    Though having rent at $450 a week is proving very difficult to save for a good car.
    Is there any place that will give me a decent sized car loan? I am not to fussed about the interest rate as I’d just like a good car that won’t need a lot of work and won’t continuously break down on me like my last one.
    Please let me know if anyone can help? I am not very savvy with these things and need someone who will lay things out very easy to understand 🙂

  9. Im a single mother currently studying photography and am planning on making a business out of it to support myself and my children, however there is a lot of expensive equipment I need to do this. are there any places I can go to get a loan to help with some of these costs?

    1. Hi Brooke,

      Congrats on your course! The loan options outlined here are primarily for emergencies or important household expenses related to everyday living. However, you can reach out to http://goodshepherdmicrofinance.org.au/ as they may be able to assist you. Another alternative would be to look at peer to peer lending, they provide lower rate loans (depending on credit) but are better than payday loans and a bit more flexible than the banks with their approval criteria.

      Regards,

  10. Hi there,

    I’m a single mum to 1 year old son and i am working full time for 4 months now and looking out to buy a house or even a apartment so i don’t have to waste my money to pay someone else mortgage but the problem is i don’t have deposit, is there any home loan without deposit for single mum?

    Thank you for your time.

  11. Hi, I am a single-parent on family-tax-benefit, who just finished paying a business loan off for $20’000. The business is no longer running, I am in fulltime study at uni, and really want to make steps to becoming a house/unit owner so my 18mth old daughter and I don’t have to keep moving when the leases run out. I have an excellent credit rating and no debt. I am wanting any information on how my daughter and I can move into our first home, investment property via a low-interest loan.

  12. hello. i need $480 dollars by tomorrow i need this money for adoption of a baby i am with Centrelink is there a loan that has no fee and i don’t need to pay it back?

    thanks for your time.

  13. Hi

    I am a single mother and looking for homeloan….pl advise how can I apply and what are the benefits which I can get for home loan

  14. I’ve been a single mum for 15 yrs. I earn good money, but saving $40k for a home loan deposit is such a long process. I am sick of paying $630 a week in rent. I do have $10k saved, but it just doesn’t seem to be enough in Sydney. It is going to take a long time to save the $40k required. Are there any other options? I do not have parents to go guarantor.

  15. I am in Qld and receive single parent payment and family tax and looking for a home loan of $100000. Do you know where I could successfully apply for a home loan with these forms of income?

  16. Am a single Mum of three kids, and am wanting to start up a new business. Are there any loans I can apply for that could borrow about $5000.

  17. I am looking to relocate to Brisbane. I am currently trying to get onto single parent pension as I am living under the same roof as my ex it is quite difficult. I am currently unemployed and only been unemployed for approximately 2 months. I have a fantastic opportunity to successfully gain employment in Brisbane but would not qualify for the relocation assistance. I have a 5yr old daughter who would be relocating with me. What are my options I have no financial security until we can put our house up for sale and its sold.

  18. I am a single mum of two age 11 and 14, and who lives rent free with her mother. I have been in part time permanent employment for 5 years now with an annual income of around $30,000. It is possible I could land myself permanent work that could pay $40,000 or more in the near future. I receive $420 a month child support, as well as family tax benefit. I want to buy a home, and seek to get a loan of around $150,000 .Would I be eligible to receive this loan amount from a financial Institute?

  19. Hi, I am a single mother,I am unemployed and on centre link benefits. I want to relocate to cairns with my two daughters but dont know how to apply for a home loan which I kept getting rejected to.

  20. Hi I am a single mom to a 5 year old I’d like to relocate to Canberra I want assistance with moving costs I am currently on a contract part time job until October am not earning much from it and repaying a personal loan from a friend, as well as my daughter’s school costs are quiet expensive and I am only recievinb $35 a month of child support from her father. Where we are now hadn’t been kind you us and very stressful that’s why we’d like to move so I’d like a loan to help me with moving costs (hiring a removalist, a storage unit and finding a place to rent to live in)

  21. Hi im a 22 year old single mother to a one year who has down syndrome. Im currently alot behind in rent as her father is no longer around. Also paying of a car loan so at the end of the day im left with nothing. Is their anything that could help.

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