Energy Saving Rebates
Get all the Energy rebates you’re entitled to, including new $50 rebates in two states. Victorians and Queenslanders were gifted $50 towards their energy bills this week as state governments fight to avoid blame for high power prices.
For Queenslanders, the rebate “will be automatically applied to your electricity account from 30 April 2018, and will appear on your next electricity bill”.
For Victorians, all you need to do is go to the state government energy comparison website and register your details.
But these new rebates are just the tip of the cashback iceberg. There are hundreds more dollars to claim in most states, especially for pensioners and low-income earners.
We’ve summarised the main rebate items you might be able to claim in your state:
NSW:
The Low Income Household Rebate helps NSW households pay their electricity bills and provides $285 a year to eligible customers who hold an electricity account, or $313.50 a year to eligible long-term residents of residential communities and retirement villages.
The Family Energy Rebate of $180 is available to applicants who received the Family Tax Benefit (FTB) from the Department of Human Services (DHS) in the previous financial year and do not hold a DHS Concession Card or Health Care Card.
The Gas Rebate now provides $90 per financial year to eligible customers who hold a natural gas account with a gas retailer of their choice, or $99 per financial year to eligible customers with on-supplied LPG or natural gas and living in residential communities, retirement villages and strata schemes.
The Appliance Replacement Offer gives eligible concession card holders in NSW a 40-50% discount on selected new energy efficient fridges and TVs.
ACT:
The Energy and Utility Concession and the Water and Sewerage Rebate are now combined into a single Utilities Concession at a maximum rebate of $604 per household.
QLD:
Queensland pensioners and seniors may now be eligible for the Electricity Rebate, which is currently $341 per year, whilst the Reticulated Natural Gas Rebate is $71 per year.
New measures also include a $50 p.a. Electricity rebate, rebates of up to $300 for eligible energy-efficient appliances, no-interest rooftop solar loans, and a $75 rebate for regional households that register for direct debit and monthly eBilling.
SA:
Eligible South Australians on low or fixed incomes can apply for Energy Bill concessions that are indexed each financial year, currently up to $217.90 to cover both electricity and gas payments.
The Cost of Living Concession now amounts to (per eligible household) $202.70 for homeowner-occupiers, $101.40 for homeowner-occupiers who are self-funded retirees with a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card and $101.40 for tenants.
VIC:
The Annual Electricity and Gas Concessions are available to help ease cost of living pressures by providing concession cardholders with a discount of 17.5 per cent off household electricity and gas bills.
Meanwhile, 285,000 Victorian households with the big 3 retailers – AGL, Origin and EnergyAustralia – who get no discount have been promised a partial refund on their power bills worth between $250 and $720 from January 2018. (Speak to your retailer to see if you’re eligible.)
WA:
The Energy Assistance Payment (EAP) offers those eligible rebates of $233.95 per year whilst the Hardship Utilities Grant Scheme (HUGS) provides about $538 per year to those who qualify.
* In highlighting particular offers we are not making specific recommendations as this article does not cover all available products and may not compare all features relevant to you. Any advice provided is general in nature and does not take account of your needs, objectives or financial situation. Individuals should consider their own circumstances, and if in doubt seek appropriate advice, before proceeding.
