Millions of Australians are set to receive hundreds of dollars in credit towards their power bill.
Hikes in the cost of petrol, electricity and food has seen many Australian households struggling to make ends meet, prompting state government’s to offer the free cash.
Here’s a breakdown of the payments for each state:
In Western Australia, millions of residents are expected to receive $400 credit towards their power bill.
Synergy and Horizon Power customers in WA will have the one-off credit added to their electricity accounts from July.
New South Wales
In New South Wales, households with dependent children are eligible to an $180 credit on an energy bill.
Those receiving the payment in New South Wales must have been the recipient of the Family Tax Benefit (FTB) for the previous financial year and have had your entitlement to the FTB payments finalised by Centrelink.
Check your eligibility and apply at the Service NSW website.
South Australia
Eligible South Australians on low or fixed incomes can apply for help with the cost of energy bills for their principal place of residence.
They can receive up to $233.60 a year to cover energy payments, including fuels used to generate energy (eg LPG bottled gas and petrol). The concession is calculated as a flat rate per day and is indexed each financial year.
To apply for the payment visit the South Australia government website.
Queensland
Queensland pensioners and seniors may be eligible for the Electricity Rebate – $340.85 per year and the Reticulated Natural Gas Rebate – $76.19 per year.
To apply for the rebate, contact your power and gas provider. You can apply over the phone or ask your retailer to send you an application form. You will need to provide certain details and have copies of your bills and concession card handy so you can verify your eligibility. Rebates are automatically deducted from your bill.
Meanwhile, Queensland households experiencing problems paying their electricity or reticulated natural gas bills as a result of an unforeseen emergency or a short-term financial crisis can receive $720 once every two years.
To be eligible you must be responsible for paying the outstanding bill and meet one of the following:
- have an income equal to or less than the Australian Government’s maximum income rate for part-age pensioners; contact Services Australia or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs for details of the maximum income rate
- be part of your energy provider’s hardship program or payment plan.
For more details on the emergency payment in Queensland, click here.
Victoria
Every household in Victoria is set to receive a $250 cash handout to help with the rising cost of living, as Dan Andrews launches a $250million cash splash.
Payments will start from July 1, with Victorians simply having to sign up to the Energy Compare website to become eligible for the huge cash splash.
The scheme was initially rolled out to ease the financial burden of struggling families during Covid-19, but has since been extended.
The Power Saving Bonus was originally only available for Pensioner Concession Card and Health Care Card holders in the state, including those claiming Jobseeker, Youth Allowance, Austudy and Abstudy.
With the schemes combined together for the most vulnerable in Victoria, up to $800 will be available.
Residents will need to head to Energy Compare and register their details through the website before they can receive the one-off payment. For more details, click here.
The scheme will open on July 1 and run until June 30 2023.
Northern Territory
Members of the Northern Territory (NT) Concession Scheme can claim a concession on household electricity costs for their main place of residence. This excludes any household used for business or commercial purposes.
You can get up to $1,200 per annum for electricity (8000kW).
For more details on the payment, click here.
Australian Capital Territory
The ACT Government offers an annual combined rebate of up to $700 through the Utilities Concession Scheme for low income households.
From 1 July 2021 the annual concession amount will permanently increase to $750.
In the 2021-22 financial year an additional $50 rebate will also be provided to eligible households, resulting in a total concession of $800.
The concession covers electricity, natural gas, water, and sewage.
Eligible households include: Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card holders, Low Income Health Care Card holders, ACT Service Access Card holders, Veteran’s Affairs Pensioner Concession Card holders and, Gold Card holders.
For more details, click here.
Federal government payments for struggling families
The energy payments come after the federal government handed out $250 cash boosts to struggling families last month.
More than six million pensioners, carers, veterans, job seekers, eligible self-funded retirees and concession card holders received the payment.
The measure is one of the key components of Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s fourth budget, which was delivered in March and included plans to help millions of vulnerable Australians struggling to keep up with soaring.
Another 10 million Australians will get up to $1,500 back in their next tax return under the government’s pre-election cash-splash Budget which also slashed petrol excise.
Australians earning less than $126,000 will from July 1 get an existing tax offset of up to $1,080 plus a bonus $420 to help manage the rising cost of living in a $4.1billion policy.
The government is spending $3 billion to slash fuel duty in half for six months – saving an average household $300 over six months and families with two cars $700.
Treasurer Josh Fyrdenberg said the Government’s plan to help the economy recover after the Covid-19 pandemic was working, with unemployment predicted to reach 3.75 per cent in September, the lowest level since 1974.
‘Three years ago we said to the Australian people that under the Coalition, the economy would be stronger. We delivered,’ he said in his speech.