State and territory energy rebates and concessions

Rebates for gas and electricity are primarily for financially disadvantaged energy customers who need assistance to pay their energy bills. The exact criteria varies between states, retailers and the concessions or rebates you’re applying for, but a concession card is generally required to access most financial aid.

National eligibility requirements generally stipulate the rebate to apply only to your principal place of residence and you must be the primary account holder of the energy plan.

Yes, a Pensioner Concession Card is accepted by most energy retailers, though some concessions and rebates have additional criteria for your application to be accepted. If you’re a senior on a pension, check out our page on senior energy discounts.

While criteria can vary between states and the concession or rebate you’re applying for, some of the most common concession cards accepted by retailers include:

• Pensioner Concession Card
• Health Care Card
• Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card (usually marked war widower pension, war widow, disability pension or totally and permanently incapacitated [TPI]).
• State-issued or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card – Services Australia.

In some cases, eligible Centrelink payments may also entitle you to a concession or rebate. Depending on what you’re applying for, these can include, but may not be limited to:

• JobSeeker Payment
• Youth Allowance
• Parenting Payment
• Partner Allowance
• Austudy
• ABSTUDY
• Farm Household Allowance (FHA)
• Age pension
• Carer Allowance
• Disability Support Pension
• Special Benefit
• Family Tax Benefit.

If you have asylum seeker status and are an Immi cardholder, you may also be eligible for some concessions.

Check with your retailer directly to see what concessions you can apply too, as eligibility can vary.

If you believe you meet the eligibility criteria for an electricity or gas rebate, the way to claim may depend on the concession. For many energy rebates, you must contact your energy retailer and apply directly through them; however, you may also be able to apply online when signing up for a new energy plan.

Furthermore, depending on the rebate, you may need extra documentation to prove you meet the criteria. This might include documents from your medical practitioner if you’re applying for a medical-based rebate, or proof that you’ve exhausted other financial options to pay your energy bills.

• Energy bill relief fund: The Commonwealth Government offers $300 to eligible households to help with energy costs. If you already receive any energy concessions, this will be applied automatically to your bill, but even if you don’t, you may still be eligible.¹

• Annual electricity concession: Valid concession card holders in Victoria can receive help from the state government to pay for their electricity bills. Eligible recipients are entitled to a concession of 17.5% on domestic mains electricity usage and service costs. The concession is available all year round and is applied as a percentage discount on each bill.²
• Excess electricity concession: This concession is designed to help people who receive higher electricity bills than expected. If you spend over the annual threshold amount ($4,217) on electricity, you can receive an additional concession above the annual electricity concession. This concession requires you to complete an application form and can only be granted if you exceed the threshold for the year and the electricity isn’t used for commercial or illegal purposes.³
• Excess gas concession: Like the excess electricity concession, if your household’s winter gas costs exceed the annual gas threshold ($2,499.14) specified by the state government, you might be entitled to a concession on your usage and service fees.⁴ Remember, your gas usage must not be for commercial or illegal purposes.
• Winter gas concession: Eligible concession card holders can receive a concession of 17.5% on domestic mains gas usage and service costs between May and October each year, although the first $62.40 of the six-month period is not covered under the concession.⁵
• Life support concession: If you require a life support machine at home or live with someone who does, you could be eligible for a rebate. This life support concession rebate is calculated based on the current price you pay in cents per kilowatt-hours (c/kWh) multiplied by a set kWh value as defined by the government.⁵ The exact amount you receive depends on your retailer. Eligible life support machines include oxygen concentrators and intermittent peritoneal dialysis machines for electricity concessions and haemodialysis machines for both electricity and water concessions. If you have a different life support machine that uses at least 1,880 kWh of electricity a year, you can apply to be eligible.⁶
• Medical cooling concession: If you or someone you live with has a medical condition that affects the body’s ability to regulate heat, you could be eligible for a concession on bills charged from the start of November to the end of April.⁷ Eligibility must be pre-approved by the Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services and can include Parkinson’s disease, lymphoedema or multiple sclerosis. Note, this concession is applied in addition to the annual electricity concession, if you’re eligible for both.
• Non-mains energy concession: If you use non-mains energy, such as LPG, firewood or are part of an embedded network, you can apply for a concession based on how much you pay for energy each year. The concession you receive is on an inclining scale, so the more you spend on this type of energy, the higher your concession will usually be.⁸
• Utility relief grant scheme: If you’re an eligible low-income Victorian household and you’re unable to pay overdue energy (and water) bills due to temporary hardship, this scheme offers relief grants to help cover bills.⁹ The state government sets maximum amounts per utility type, so keep this in mind when filling out your utility relief grant application form. You can access this form by contacting your energy retailer.
• Victorian energy upgrades (VEU) program: The VEU program offers discounts and rebates for Victorians looking to upgrade to energy-efficient products, such as hot water or heating.¹⁰

• Family energy rebate: NSW residents living in a household with dependent children receiving the Family Tax Benefit (FTB) for the previous financial year could receive credit on an energy bill of up to $250, provided Centrelink has finalised your entitlement.¹¹
• Gas rebate: This rebate aims to help you cover the cost of natural gas you use. Eligible people in NSW can receive a rebate on every quarterly natural gas bill, up to a maximum annual amount ($110) set by the NSW Government.¹²
• Bottled gas concession rebate: If you use LPG for your cooking, hot water or heating, you could be entitled to a concession of $121 a year. You must use gas for basic household purposes to receive this concession, and your most recent purchase of an LPG bottle must have been in the current financial year.¹³
• Life support rebate: If you or someone in your household requires medical equipment with high energy consumption for life support at home, you may be eligible for this rebate. The rebate is based on a daily rate and is calculated based on the type of equipment you use and how often you use it.¹⁴ Equipment can include ventilators and dialysis machines.
• Low income household rebate: This is an electricity rebate scheme for low income earners in NSW to help cover energy bill costs. It’s paid as a credit on your quarterly energy bills, calculated as a daily charge up to a maximum annual limit ($350) that the NSW Government determines.¹⁵
• Medical energy rebate: If you or someone you live with has a medical condition that affects the body’s ability to regulate heat, you could be eligible for a concession. This concession is an annual credit amount ($350) set by the NSW Government and paid as a fixed amount on your quarterly energy bills.¹⁶ A health professional usually needs to diagnose this condition, be treating the household member for at least three months and verify your need for cooling or heating to control symptoms.
• Seniors energy rebate: This rebate can help eligible self-funded, independent retirees in NSW pay for their electricity.¹⁷ The rebate is determined by the NSW Government, and is paid per financial year. You may be eligible for the low-income household rebate if you’re a senior but not a self-funded and independent retiree.
• On supply: If you pay for electricity or gas through an owners’ corporation or strata, you could be entitled to a number of the above-mentioned concessions or rebates. Check out Service NSW to see if you’re eligible.
• NSW energy efficient lighting discounts: The NSW Government offers a financial incentive to switch to energy efficient LED lighting in your home. You will need to contact an approved supplier for full eligibility requirements, although households will need to switch a minimum number of lights and make a minimum payment for the lights.¹⁸
• Energy accounts payment assistance (EAPA) vouchers: If you’re in financial hardship and can’t pay your electricity or natural gas bill, you may be eligible for digital payment vouchers through the EAPA Scheme. This scheme is for a short-term financial crisis and may require first referring to your current energy retailer to set up or extend a hardship payment plan.¹⁹ One or more voucher payments will be sent to your retailer and credited to your energy account.

• Cost of living rebate for households: Queenslanders can share in power asset dividends as they are publicly owned. This concession builds on the existing electricity asset ownership dividend.²⁰ These payments are applied as rebates to your electricity bill if you’re a residential customer who receives a separately charged electricity bill to help with the cost of living. On-supply customers living in embedded network who are eligible for the rebate are credited directly through the on-supplier (e.g. landlord, property manager, body corporate), and card-operated meter customers receive their rebate transferred to their linked card.
• The electricity rebate: Pensioners, senior concession cardholders, Services Australia Health Care Card holders, Veterans’ Affair DVA Gold Card holders and those with asylum seeker status may be entitled to an annual rebate ($372.20) to help cover electricity bills.²¹
• Home energy emergency assistance scheme: If you’re having difficulty paying your electricity or piped gas bills due to emergencies or short-term financial issues, you may be entitled to a one-off emergency payment.²² You can only receive the payment once every two years and must meet the eligibility criteria. You can contact your energy retailer to start the application process.
• The reticulated natural gas rebate: Pensioners, seniors concession cardholders and Veterans’ Affair Gold Card holders may be entitled to a rebate ($89.70) on reticulated natural gas bills.²¹ You can apply by contacting your gas retailer.
• Electricity life support: If you’re a concession cardholder and use a kidney dialysis machine or oxygen concentrator at home, this concession can help cover the costs of using these devices. The amount you receive varies based on the type of machine you use and is paid quarterly to eligible customers.²³
• Medical cooling and heating electricity concession scheme: If you have a chronic health condition that’s exacerbated by temperature changes, you could be eligible for an annual concession ($502.98) to help with electricity bills.²⁴ These conditions include autonomic system dysfunction, multiple sclerosis and inflammatory skin conditions. This concession is an annual credit amount as set by the Queensland Government.

• Cost of living concession: If you’re on a low income, you may be eligible for the cost of living concession to help you pay for energy bills, council rates and medical bills.²⁵ The amount you receive each year varies between concession cards, the type of Centrelink payments you receive and your annual income.
• Energy bill concession: This concession entitles eligible South Australians on low or fixed incomes to receive a set amount each year to help pay energy bills, including LPG bottled gas.²⁶
• Energy discount offer: This is an extra energy concession only available to those already receiving the energy bill concession and are an existing customer of Origin Energy or switching to them.²⁷
• Home dialysis electricity concession: If you use a dialysis machine at home, you could be eligible for an annual concession to help pay for the running costs – provided a South Australian health practitioner approves your eligibility for the concession.²⁸
• Medical heating and cooling concession: South Australians who have verified medical conditions that require regular heating or cooling to manage their symptoms may be eligible for an indexed amount each year to help cover the cost of bills.²⁹ You also have to be on a low or fixed income to be eligible.
• Home oxygen therapy rebate: If you require home-based, state-funded oxygen therapy from an oxygen concentrator, you may be eligible for an electricity rebate.³⁰ You can access the rebate by contacting your respiratory or community nurse and supplying them with your Pensioner Health Care Card number.
• Residential park resident concession: Eligible South Australians who live in a caravan park or residential park may receive an indexed concession each year to help pay for energy, sewage and water bills.³¹

• Annual electricity concession: If you’re an eligible resident in Tasmania, you could receive a daily discount on your electricity usage. The Tasmanian Government determines the rate.³²
• Heating allowance: Some pensioners may receive a set amount each year to assist with the cost of heating.³³ Only one payment per household is available, but eligible applicants will receive recurring payments each year without needing to re-apply.
• Life support concession: If you need to use a life support system at home, you may be able to receive daily electricity discounts to help cover the cost of bills.³² The amount you receive varies between the types of machines used, which can include chronic positive pressure and airways regulators, phototherapy machines and oxygen concentrators.
• Medical cooling or heating concession: If you or someone you reside with has a health condition that requires the use of extra heating or cooling, you may be eligible for a daily concession to cover electricity costs. These medical conditions include Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and lymphoedema.³²

• Account establishment fee rebate: If you’re an eligible customer and need to establish a new electricity account, you can receive a one-off rebate to offset this cost.³⁴
• Air conditioning rebate: If you live in a part of Western Australia that experiences prolonged, severe heat or live permanently in a caravan park, some of the costs for running your air conditioner can be subsidised with this electricity rebate.³⁴
• Hardship utility grant scheme (HUGS): If you’re facing hardship and unable to pay your utility bills, the HUGS grant may help you stay connected to your essential energy services.³⁵ It’s a scheme to apply for when all other hardship options have been explored, and can cover up to 85% of what you owe on your bill. When you’re experiencing trouble paying your bills, your first point of contact should be your utility retailer, who will conduct an initial assessment and give you instructions on your next steps. They’ll deem whether you should be referred to the HUGS service centre.
• Energy assistance payment (EAP): This annual payment is designed to help eligible Synergy or Horizon Power WA residents pay their electricity bills.³⁶
• Dependent child rebate: This rebate helps you pay electricity bills if you have dependent children and hold a valid concession card.³⁶ The rebate is calculated every day but varies based on how many children are listed on your concession card.
• Energy concession extension scheme: If you live in an apartment building, retirement village or caravan park and need assistance with energy costs, this scheme can help. It’s designed for people whose electricity costs are recouped by a strata entity and relates to the air conditioning rebate, energy assistance payment and the dependent child rebate.³⁶
• Cost of living rebate: If you hold a WA Seniors Card, you could be eligible for a rebate that helps cover the cost of rising living expenses, including energy bills. The state government automatically pays money into eligible accounts every July.³⁷
• Life support equipment electricity subsidy scheme: A subsidy towards electricity costs for running life support equipment at home to assist those financially disadvantaged or their dependents.³⁸
• Underground electricity connection charge rebate: If you’re an eligible Western Australian looking to connect to an underground electricity supply, this rebate can help cover some of the connection fees or defer the charge.³⁴
• Thermoregulatory dysfunction energy subsidy scheme: This power bill rebate helps if you’re a disadvantaged Western Australian with a thermoregulatory dysfunction (unable to control your body temperature) and you need power equipment to control the temperature in your home.³⁹
• Reduced meter test fee: This concession is for a reduced meter fee for eligible cardholders if it’s believed the electricity meter is producing incorrect or faulty readings and you want to test it.³⁴ The cost of the meter test is refunded if the test finds the meter faulty.

• Electricity, gas and water rebate: You may be eligible for an annual concession on electricity, natural gas, water and sewerage if you reside in the ACT and meet criteria set by the ACT Revenue Office.⁴⁰ The amount is calculated daily and varies between seasons.
• Life support rebate: If you require life support equipment or medical heating or cooling, you may be able to receive an annual amount applied as a daily credit to your electricity account.⁴¹ If you reside in a caravan park or retirement village with an embedded electricity network, the rebate will be paid directly to your account. The life support equipment must have been prescribed by an ACT medical practitioner and includes devices such as dialysis machines, respirators and long stay life support.
• Heating and cooling upgrade rebate: As an incentive to help you heat and cool your home more efficiently, this initiative slashes the price of electric reverse cycle air conditioners for eligible ACT residents.⁴² However, you must have an electricity plan with ActewAGL and currently have ducted gas heating. Read more about energy-efficient appliances.
• Sustainable household scheme: ACT residents may borrow up to $15,000 to help make their households more sustainable with energy efficient appliances.⁴³ Eligible upgrades may include electric stove tops, heating and cooling systems and solar panels.

• NT concession scheme: If you’re an eligible concession card holder in the NT, you may be eligible for electricity concessions.⁴⁴ The amount you receive varies based on whether you’re a:
  • Jacana Energy or Power and Water customer: Annual concessions are calculated on a fixed daily rate and capped at a maximum amount set by the Northern Territory Government.
  • Pre-paid customer: If you’re an eligible customer and pay for electricity through secure meters, e-meters or tokens, you may receive payments throughout the year (usually in January or July) to help cover electricity costs.
  • Alternative energy customer: You may be eligible for a daily fixed rate concession if you’re deemed an alternative energy customer, such as someone who’s not connected to the grid or receives electricity tokens from crisis accommodation and retirement villages.
  • Living in a registered caravan park: If you live in a registered caravan park and purchase private electricity tokens you may be eligible to receive a reimbursement up to fixed daily limit.
• Medical support allowance: If you or a dependent have an eligible medical condition that affects your energy usage and exceed the concession cap, you may be able to receive an additional allowance.⁴⁴