Measuring Unmet Demand
Working Group
The challenge
Best practice data standards in the financial counselling sector do not currently include a measure of unmet demand. The way that financial counselling service providers and funders collect data on their ability to meet demand for their services varies significantly. These factors make it difficult for funders, policy makers and service providers to enact measures that enable supply to better meet the demand for financial counselling services.
Purpose
The Measuring Unmet Demand Working Group has been established to develop a robust, evidence-based measure of unmet demand for financial counselling services.
Key audiences for this project are policy makers, funders and service providers. The intention of the Working Group is that service providers adopt a standardised approach to measuring, collecting and reporting on their ability to meet service demand. This will facilitate more effective resource allocation, and evidence-based advocacy for increased resources where necessary.
The Working Group is being jointly convened by the Financial Counselling Industry Fund and Financial Counselling Australia.
Working Group Objectives
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1. DEFINE
agree on a definition of “unmet demand” for financial counselling services.
2. MAP
key data sources, methodologies, and assumptions currently used.
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3. IDENTIFY GAPS
in existing data and methodologies for measuring unmet demand.
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4. DEVELOP & VALIDATE
new measures or frameworks that accurately capture unmet demand.
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5. RECOMMEND
best practice for data collection methodologies
See also
Our 2025-28 Grants Strategy
Working Group members
Membership of the Working Group has been drawn from the previously established group formed by FCA to advise on the finalisation of the Financial Counselling Outcomes Framework and National Minimum Data set. Additional members have been added to ensure broad geographic and service channel representation.