Energy bill relief for households, NSW

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Eligible NSW households can get help with their energy bills from 31 July 2023 through the Energy Bill Relief Fund. The NSW Government is administering the bill relief.

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How much you can get

Eligible households in NSW can get a one-off $500 bill relief payment in the 2023–24 financial year.

Who can get it

To get the bill relief payment in NSW you must have an eligible Commonwealth concession card or payment, receive the Family Tax Benefit A and/or B, or have an eligible medical condition.

Please note: You must be the electricity account holder for your principal place of residence to receive the bill relief payment. If you are eligible and are not named on the bill for your household but you pay for electricity, contact your electricity provider to add your name to the account.

Your household can only receive one bill relief payment in the 2023–24 financial year, even if more than one eligible person lives in the household.

Eligible concession cards and payments for existing NSW energy rebates and energy bill relief

If you receive the NSW Low Income Household Rebate, NSW Family Energy Rebate, NSW Seniors Energy Rebates, NSW Medical Energy Rebate or NSW Life Support Rebate in the 2023–24 financial year, you will also automatically receive the bill relief payment from 31 July 2023.

Pensioner Concession Card
Health Care Card
Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Gold Card holders marked with any of the following: ‘War Widow’, ‘War Widower Pension’, ‘Totally and Permanently Incapacitated’ (TPI) or ‘Disability Pension’ (EDA).
Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
Family Tax Benefit A and/or B
People using certain energy-intensive life support equipment at home

To find out more about eligible NSW energy rebates go to the NSW Government website.

Services Australia concessions eligible for energy bill relief and not NSW Government rebates

If you were eligible for this concession card or payment on 31 July 2023 you will be contacted directly by Services Australia in September 2023 to tell you what you need to do.

If you become newly eligible for this concession card or payment after 31 July 2023, you should contact your energy retailer from November 2023 onwards to apply.

Carer Allowance
Low Income Health Care Card

Find out more on the NSW Government website.

DVA cards eligible for energy bill relief

If you held these concession cards on 31 July 2023, you will be contacted directly by DVA in September 2023.

All other DVA Gold Cards

To apply, retail (on-market) customers can contact your energy retailer from November 2023. Embedded network (on – supply customers) can apply on the Service NSW website from November 2023.

Find out more on the NSW Government website.

How to get it

In most cases your electricity provider will automatically apply the bill relief to your electricity account to reduce the amount you owe on your next bill. How and when this happens depends on your situation.

If you already get help from your state government

If you already get an eligible energy NSW rebate from your energy retailer, you don’t need to do anything. You will receive the bill relief payment in quarterly instalments of $125 from 31 July 2023.

If you are eligible for help from your state government but do not currently get it

If you think you are eligible for an existing NSW energy rebate but aren’t getting it, you will first need to apply for the rebate.

Find out more on the NSW Government website.

If you have an eligible card or get a payment from Services Australia

If you don’t already get an eligible NSW energy rebate, but you have one of the eligible concessions from Services Australia on 31 July 2023, you will be contacted directly by Services Australia in September 2023 to tell you what you need to do.

If you have an eligible card from DVA

If you aren’t already eligible for help from your state, but you held one of the eligible concession cards from DVA on 31 July 2023, contact your energy retailer from November 2023 if you are a retail (on-market) customer to apply. Embedded network (on–supply customers) can apply on the Service NSW website from November 2023.

To find out more about how to apply go to the NSW Government website.

If you live in an embedded network

If you live in an embedded network and your household is eligible for the Bill Relief payment, you will need to apply for your NSW energy rebate on the Service NSW website from November 2023. If your application is approved, you will automatically receive the additional $500 Bill Relief payment.

Typically, you live in an embedded network if you get your electricity from your strata or landlord in a caravan park, apartment building or retirement home or village.

If you live in a household that receives energy bills, but you don’t have a direct relationship with the retailer (such as if you are a tenant or subletter in a share-house) you don’t necessarily live in an embedded network.

To find out more about how to apply go to the NSW Government website.

When you will get it

Most customers who receive NSW energy rebates through their energy retailer will receive the bill relief payments in quarterly instalments of $125 from:

31 July 2023
31 October 2023
31 January 2024
30 April 2024

Eligible customers who do not receive the Family Tax Benefit A and/or B, Seniors Health Card, Carer Allowance, Low Income Health Care card or DVA Gold Card, will receive their bill relief payment as a one-off lump-sum $500 payment.

Eligible customers living in an embedded network will receive their Bill Relief payment in one lump sum $500 payment. You will receive the $500 in one payment following approval of your rebate application.