<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Thousands of Australian mortgage holders are worried they will be unable to make their home loan repayments following </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-much-will-the-rba-interest-rate-hike-cost-you/6568da42-5c43-4c97-a70d-79d03330cfc5" rel="" target="_blank" title="consecutive interest rate hike blows."><span>consecutive interest rate hike blows.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>More than 65,000 people have contacted the National Debt Helpline (NDH) since the start of the year, with mortgage stress remaining the top reason for calling.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Just under 14,000 people called the NDH in April 2026, a 21 per cent increase on the year prior.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>EXCLUSIVE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/identity-theft-great-southern-bank/5923e717-9bae-4eea-a0ef-88641d20633d" target="_blank"><strong><span>Anna had no idea her identity had been stolen. Then the letters arrived</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>Are you struggling to pay your mortgage? Contact</span></strong></em><span> </span><strong><em><span>reporter April Glover at</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="mailto:april.glover@nine.com.au" target="" title="april.glover@nine.com.au"><em><strong><span>april.glover@nine.com.au</span></strong></em></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The amount of calls jumped from 11,554 to 13,933 between April 2025 and April 2026.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Online chat data on the NDH website also increased by 641 to 2053 conversations in the same period.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/interest-rate-hike-thousands-of-australians-including-full-time-workers-pushed-into-mortgage-stress/85dbe82b-c60d-419f-bea5-b59a15cec190" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The grim figures followed two consecutive rate rises in March and April.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A third rate hike was delivered by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) yesterday, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/finance/rba-interest-rate-hike-bleak-assessment-australians-are-poorer-and-everything-is-moving-in-the-wrong-direction/8d253ce7-c7ba-4cab-ae83-d8594286a647" rel="" target="" title="bringing the cash rate target to 4.35 per cent."><span>bringing the cash rate target to 4.35 per cent.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cumulative rate increases for borrowers on a $1 million mortgage since the start of the year has amounted to $600 per month.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/gold-coast-toddler-induced-coma-inhaling-cake-decorating-dust/778d019e-740e-4b31-a71d-9ffe2fe7c800" target="_blank"><strong><span>Aussie toddler in coma after inhaling cake-decorating dust</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Small Business Debt Helpline has also been inundated with requests for help, with a 36 per cent increase in calls between April 2025 and April 2026.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) said this has been the busiest start to the year "for a long time".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While mortgage repayments is the top financial issue NDH callers are facing, many are also worried about credit card and ATO debt, personal loans, fuel prices and energy bills.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Financial counsellors say their clients are very distressed and this rate rise coupled with rising living costs will only make things worse," Financial Counselling Australia chief executive Dr Domenique Meyrick said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"People are having to make some very tough decisions … going without medical needs in order to pay the mortgage/rent."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/kumanjayi-little-baby-comedian-alex-shooter-williamson-condemned-for-social-media-video-about-allegedly-murdered-nt-girl/6767e589-5f72-4731-acf9-4f82ad655ca1" target="_blank"><strong><span>Comedian blasted for 'deeply offensive' joke about allegedly murdered NT girl</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Meyrick said the NDH has noticed an increase of employed Australians reaching out in financial distress.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Around 28 per cent of callers are in full-time work.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And it is only going to get worse as global tensions continue to drive up the cost of living, Meyrick warned.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"War in the Middle East is having an impact on fuel prices and likely to impact food and grocery prices too… this will make it even harder for those already doing it tough," she added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There is support available, and you're not alone."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Independent financial advice is available from the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a 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