No Interest Loans Scheme - NILS
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What is NILS? The No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS®) provides interest-free loans for individuals or families on low income. It’s a community-based program that enables people to access fair, safe and equitable credit for the purchase of goods and services. The service is administered nationally by Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service with the support of the National Australia Bank.
How does it work? When a borrower makes a repayment to a NILS program, funds are then available as a loan for someone else in the community. This is called “circular community credit” and is a real demonstration of the community in action.
What are the loans for? NILS is generally for the purchase of essential household items like a fridge, washing machine, TV, bed or clothes dryer. NILS may also be provided to meet other essential needs like health aids or education costs. NILS is not for emergency relief, bond or rent money, living expenses or debt repayment.
Who is eligible? NILS has limited funds so you must have a health care card or pension card and be of genuinely low income. NILS is run by local community groups, who try to provide loans to as many people as possible.
How much can be borrowed? It varies, but usually between $800 to $1,200 and the repayment period is usually around 12 to 18 months.
How to apply for NILS? Contact your local NILS program, listed below, to find out if you are eligible.
If you are eligible you will need to attend a loan interview. After that your application is assessed by the NILS program.
Local NILS programs
Queensland wide
St Vincent de Paul Society
If you live in an area that is not served by a NILS program, your local St Vincent de Paul Society may be able to provide a loan. Check your White Pages for your local contact. Alternatively enquires can be made to (07) 3010 1096.
www.vinnies.org.au/home-qld
Care Assist Program
Carers Queensland
15 Abbott St
Camp Hill
Telephone: 1800 242 636 or contact your nearest regional Carers Queensland office.
www.carersqld.asn.au
Muscular Dystrophy Association of Queensland
Telephone: (07) 3607 1800
www.mdqld.org.au
Brisbane
Bardon
Communify NILS
180 Jubilee Terrace
Bardon
Telephone: (07) 3510 2700
Email: nils@communify.org.au
Area serviced: Inner North/North Western suburbs
Mitchelton
Picabeen Community Centre
22 Hoben St
Mitchelton 4053
Telephone: (07) 3354 2555
Runcorn
Kyabra Community Association Inc NILS
Kyabra St, Runcorn
Telephone: (07) 3373 9499
www.kyabra.org/services
Spring Hill
Wesley Mission Brisbane NILS
445 Upper Edward St
Spring Hill
Telephone: (07) 3221 6788
Wynnum
St Peter’s Community Service Fund NILS
86 Bride St
Wynnum
Telephone: (07) 3348 7598
Note that service is part-time.
Gold Coast
Coolangatta-Palm Beach NILS
69 Palm Beach Avenue
Palm Beach
Phone (07) 5534 2115
Ipswich and West
Booval
Booval Community Service NILS
14 South Station Rd
Booval 4304
Telephone: (07) 3816 3170 (Fridays only)
Goodna
Goodna NILS
Goodna Neighbourhood House
33 Queen St
Goodna
Telephone: (07) 3271 1820
Goondiwindi
Care Goondiwindi Association NILS
56 Marshall St
Goondiwindi
Telephone: (07) 4670 0700
Laidley
The Loan Library
Laidley Shire Community Care
13 Mary St
Laidley
Telephone: (07) 5465 1889
Miles
Miles NILS
73A Murilla St
Miles 4415
Telephone: (07) 4627 2027
Mount Isa
Mount Isa Family Support Service & Neighbourhood Centre NILS
14a Hilary St
Mount Isa 4825
Telephone: (07) 4743 4506
Logan area
Beenleigh
Canefields Clubhouse Beenleigh Inc NILS
Unit 2, 13 Logandowns Drive
Meadowbrook
Telephone: (07) 3807 0951
Community Care Beenleigh Districts NILS
53 York St
Beenleigh
Telephone: (07) 3807 7355
Jimboomba
Caddies NILS
19-33 South St
Jimboomba
Telephone: (07) 5547 9797
Logan Central
MultiLink NILS*
38 Blackwood Rd
Logan Central 4114
Telephone: (07) 3808 4463
*Specialist program: Migrants and humanitarian entrants (who have claimed refugee status)
Logan East
Logan East NILS
Logan East Community Centre
Cnr. 55 Cinderella Drive & Vanessa Blvd.,
Springwood, 4127
Telephone: (07) 3808 4529
Email: lecna@lecna.org.au
South East Queensland
Pine Rivers
Pine Rivers NILS
Pine Rivers Neighbourhood Association
730 Gympie Road
Lawnton
Telephone: (07) 3205 2955
Central Queensland
Biloela
Banana Shire NILS
1A - 58 Kariboe St
Biloela
Telephone: (07) 4492 3322
Bowen
Bowen NILS
20 William St
Bowen 4805
Telephone: (07) 4786 2111
Mackay
Mackay Community NILS
4 George St
Mackay
Telephone: (07) 4957 2626
Mackay Women's Centre NILS
418 Shakespeare Street
Mackay
Telephone: (07) 4953 1788
Whitsundays
Whitsunday Community Services NILS
Lot 2, Hazelwood Court
Cannonvale 4802
Telephone: (07) 4946 7850
North Queensland
Atherton
Tablelands Women's Centre NILS
15 Beatrice St
Atherton
Telephone: (07) 4091 5100
Cairns
Shelter Housing Action Cairns
3 Brisbane St
Parramatta Park, Cairns 4870
Telephone: (07) 4080 7400
Mareeba
Mareeba Community NILS
122 Walsh St
Mareeba 4880
Telephone: (07) 4092 1948
Port Douglas
Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre NILS
6-10 Mowbray St
Port Douglas
Telephone: (07) 4099 5518
Area serviced: Douglas Shire
Ravenshoe
Ravenshoe Community Support NILS
3 Bolton St
Ravenshoe
Telephone: (07) 4097 6726
Townsville
Townsville NILS
Telephone: (07) 4772 1450
Townsville West Community Centre
15 Lonerganne St
Garbutt
North Townsville Community Hub
52 Palm Drive
Deeragun
Upper Ross Community Centre
1143 Riverway Drive
Rasmussen
The Women’s Centre
50 – 52 Patrick St
Aitkenvale
North Queensland Domestic Violence Service
4th Floor, Northtown
Flinders Mall
Townsville
Family Emergency Accommodation Townsville (FEAT)
89 Perkins St
South Townsville
Queensland Youth Services
211 Sturt St
Townsville
Australian Red Cross
100 Angus Smith Drive
Douglas
For Carers only –
Carers Queensland
2/56 – 58 Thuringowa Dr
Thuringowa Central
