Energy savings: your guide to energy concessions in VIC
On this page:
- The $250 Savings Bonus Concession
- The Annual Electricity Concession
- The Excess Electricity Concession
- The Winter Gas Concession
- The Excess Gas Concession
- Controlled Load Electricity Concession
- Electricity Transfer Fee Waiver
- The Life Support Concession
- The Medical Cooling Concession
- The Non-mains Energy Concession
- The Service To Property Charge Concession
Financial hardship can strike at any time in any Australian household. And if your family is experiencing a high level of financial stress, paying regular expenses like your energy bill, can almost seem impossible.
Unfortunately, financial hardship can be an ongoing problem for many Aussies due to things like a lower income or medical condition. One way to give yourself and your family some breathing room are government energy rebates, which pays for a portion of your energy costs.
This guide covers all the energy rebates available in Victoria, plus any eligibility requirements to ensure you get appropriate help.
The $250 Savings Bonus Concession
The $250 Power Saving Bonus is a one-off concession that can be put toward your next energy bill. It was introduced to provide assistance to VIC households struggling to pay their energy bills as the Covid-19 pandemic continues. The concession will be available online from 1 February to 31 January 2022.
According to the Victorian government, more than 900,000 households are set to benefit from this bonus. Information on how to register can be found here on the Victorian Govt's Energy Site.
The Annual Electricity Concession
Unlike energy rebates in NSW, the Annual Electricity Concession, you’ll receive 17.5% of electricity usage and service costs as a credit on your energy bill. This concession is only calculated after retailer discounts and solar credits have been deducted.
Those looking to apply for the Annual Electricity Concession will need one of the following cards to be eligible:
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card
- Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card.
Where can I apply: Apply for the Annual Electricity Concession by contacting your retailer over the phone or via their website.
The Excess Electricity Concession
The Excess Electricity Concession is available to households with energy bills that exceed $2,890.45 a year. Like the Annual Electricity Concession, you’ll be credited 17.5% of electricity usage and service costs, which is calculated after retailer discounts and solar credits have been deducted.
In order to claim this rebate, you’ll need to get in touch with your electricity retailer who will check to see if you qualify and send you an application form. Just keep in mind though that according to the Victorian State Government website, only 5% of households tend to qualify.
Once you have filled out the application form, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will then advise your retailer to move forward by applying the concession to your next bill.
Other than having an annual electric bill over $2,890.05, you will also need one of the following concession cards to be approved:
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card
- Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card.
Where can I apply: Apply for the Excess Electricity Concession by contacting your retailer over the phone or via their website.
The Winter Gas Concession
If your household typically experiences higher winter gas bills, applying for the Winter Gas Concession can help ease payments. This concession provides a credit of 17.5% of gas usage and service costs. This concession is only calculated after retailer deductions have been made and is only available from May 1 to October 31 each year.
Customers looking to apply for the Winter Gas Concession require one of the following cards to be eligible:
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card
- Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card.
Where can I apply: Apply for the Winter Gas Concession by contacting your retailer over the phone or via their website.
The Excess Gas Concession
If you have an annual gas bill that’s over $1,587.82, you could be eligible for the Excess Gas Concession. Households will have access to a credit of 17.5% of gas usage and service costs on their next gas bill.
Like the Excess Electricity Concession, your retailer will help you determine whether you are eligible and will ask you to fill out an application form. The DHHS will then make the final decision and inform your retailer.
Other than having an annual gas bill over $1,587.82, you will also need one of the following concession cards to be approved:
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card
- Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card.
Where can I apply: Apply for the Excess Gas Concession by contacting your retailer over the phone or via their website.
Controlled Load Electricity Concession
Controlled Loads supply electricity to specific household appliances, like hot water systems or heating. And if you feel as though you can’t keep up with the expenses, the Controlled Load Electricity Concession provides a credit of 13% of controlled load electricity costs.
Unlike other Victorian energy concessions, customers do not have to apply for the concession, their retailer will automatically apply the credit should you be eligible and own one of the following concession cards:
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card
- Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card.
Electricity Transfer Fee Waiver
Moving house can be a stressful and financially draining period for some Victorian households as moving fees start to pile up. However, the Electricity Transfer Fee Waiver can cover the full cost of moving your electricity supply to your new home.
Once you notify your electricity retailer of your moving day, they will automatically apply the Electricity Transfer Fee Waiver if you are eligible and own one of the following cards:
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card
- Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card.
The Life Support Concession
Concession holders using life support equipment in their home on a regular basis could be eligible for the Life Support Concession, which covers a portion of the costs on your electricity and water bills.
Machines that use less than 1,880 kilowatt hours of electricity and 168 kiloliteres annually, like intermittent peritoneal dialysis machines, oxygen concentrators and haemodialysis machines are approved machines for this concession. Any other type of machine will need separate approval. The amount of the concession is calculated using the general domestic tariff of your retailer.
In order to get approved for this concession, you will need to fill out the Life Support Concession and machine application form. This form also needs to be signed off by your doctor, nurse or social worker before you can send it to your electricity retailer or water supplier. Once approved, the concession will automatically be applied to your next bill.
Where can I apply: Fill out the Life Support Concession and machine application form and send it to the appropriate retailer.
The Medical Cooling Concession
Households with members who have pre-approved medical conditions that cause an inability to self-regulate body temperature, may be eligible for the Medical Cooling Concession. This includes diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis, Lymphedema, Parkinson’s disease, Fibromyalgia, Post-polio Syndrome/Poliomyelitis and Motor Neurone Disease.
You can apply for this concession by filling out the Medical Cooling Concession application form, which will also need to be signed by your doctor. Once the form is complete, it will need to be sent to your electricity retailer before it is approved and the concession appears as a credit on your next bill.
Where can I apply: Fill out the Medical Cooling Concession application form and send it to your electricity retailer.
The Non-mains Energy Concession
If your household uses alternative measures to stay warm and cook, you could be eligible for the Non-mains Energy Concession. This includes non-main sources of energy, like generator fuel, heating oil, firewood and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
With the Non-mains Energy Concession amounts depends on how much you spend on your alternative energy sources:
- $50 for spending from $100 to $288.99
- $152 for spending from $289 to $867.99
- $253 for spending from $868 to $1443.99
- $361 for spending from $1444 to $2060.99
- $461 for spending from $2061 to $2636.99
- $561 for spending $2637 and above.
Applications for this concession can be done over the phone or at a local LPG supplier, your local council or caravan park proprietors. In order to be approved, you will need an eligible concession card and copies of receipts or invoices. Once the HHS approves your application, the concession will be provided as a rebate.
Where can I apply: Apply for the Non-mains Energy Concession over the phone or at an appropriate non-mains energy source supplier.
The Service To Property Charge Concession
Concession holders with very low electricity usage could receive a credit on their service charge, thanks to the Service To Property Charge Concession. To be eligible for this concession, your electricity usage must be lower than the service charge. The concession then reduces the service charge to the usage cost.
Your electricity retailer will automatically apply the Service To Property Charge Concession on your next bill, so you don’t have to do anything to apply.
Not from Victoria? Have a read of our guides for concessions and rebates in:
Or if you’d like to find out how to save even further on your energy bill, enter your postcode below to compare plans available in your area.
