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$285 Rebate | NSW Low Income Household Rebate

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Low income rebate

If you are a household with a low income, you could qualify for the New South Wales Low Income Household Rebate. This program is available for people with a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, or DVA Gold Card, and gives qualifying households up to $285 per year to assist with the cost of energy bills. Read on for answers to your questions about the NSW Low Income Household Rebate and learn how to apply

FAQ: NSW Low Income Household Rebate

What is the NSW Low Income Household Rebate?

The Low Income Household Rebate is a yearly government energy rebate payment that is offered to help low-income families pay for their energy bills more easily. This rebate is available to qualifying NSW residents who hold either a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, or a DVA Gold Card.

This is available to households in all of NSW, not just in Sydney.

The amount you get from the low income rebate is calculated daily, starting the first day you sign up.

How Much is the NSW Low Income Household Rebate Worth?

The NSW Low Income Household rebate offers between $285 - $313.50 per year, depending on how you receive your energy.

  • Retail customers can get up to $285 per year as credits that are applied to their quarterly energy bill.
  • On-supply customers can get up to $313.50 per year as a lump sum deposited into their bank account.

What is a Retail Customer vs. On-Supply Customer?Retail customers are those who receive their energy bill directly from their energy provider. On-supply customers are those who receive their energy through a residential community, or strata such as residents of a retirement home.

The application process for the NSW Low Income Household rebate is different for retail customers and on-supply customers.

Therefore, we have broken down this guide into 2 sections for clearer information:

  1. Retail Customers: NSW Low Income Household Rebate
  2. On-supply Customers: NSW Low Income Household Rebate

Retail Customers: NSW Low Income Household Rebate

This section is for retail customers. Retail customers represent the majority of Australia's energy supplies. A retail customer refers to anyone who gets their energy directly from an energy company and receives a monthly bill from the energy company.

In this section, we will explain the rules and application process for retail customers applying to the NSW Low Income Household Energy Rebate.

Who is Eligible for the NSW Low Income Household Energy Rebate?

As a retail customer, you are eligible for the Low Income Household Energy Rebate if:

  • You live in NSW
  • You are the account holder for your household energy contract
  • You are both the energy account holder, and concession card holder

However, you must have one of the following cards to be able to apply for the NSW Low Income Household Energy Rebate:

  • Pensioner Concession Card issued by the DVA or Services Australia
  • Health Care Card issued by Services Australia
  • DVA Gold Card marked with "War Widow", "Totally and Permanently Incapacitated", or "Disability Pension"

Commonwealth Seniors Health Cardholders are not eligible for the low-income household rebate. If you’re a senior or pensioner, you can apply for the NSW Seniors Energy Rebate and get up to $200 per year for qualifying households to help with the cost of energy.

How to Apply for the NSW Low Income Household Rebate (Retail Customers)

Retail customers can easily apply for the NSW Low Income Household Rebate by calling your energy provider and asking for the rebate

You will need to supply your energy provider with the following:

  • Your personal information such as name, address, and energy account number
  • Your concession card or Health Care Card information

Once done, make sure to request confirmation that the rebate has been applied.

Once the rebate has been applied to your energy account, it will begin to be calculated as a daily amount. Households can only receive one low-income energy rebate and it’s only available for the account holder’s primary place of residence.

If you switch your energy provider in New South Wales you will need to tell your new provider you're receiving the low-income energy rebate.

On-supply Customers: NSW Low Income Household Rebate

This section is for on-supply customers. On-supply customers refer to anyone who gets their energy distributed to them as part of a collective. On-supply customers usually receive their energy bill from the management or operator of their residential community. This could be a retirement complex or strata scheme, for example.

In this section, we will explain the rules and application process for on-supply customers applying to the NSW Low Income Household Energy Rebate

Who is Eligible for the NSW Low Income Household Rebate for On-supply Customers?

On-supply customers are eligible for the Low Income Household Rebate if they meet the following requirements.

  • You’re NSW resident and on supply energy customer (you get your energy bill or invoice from a community or village operator or strata manager)
  • You hold either a Pensioner Concession Card, or a Health Care Card through Services Australia, or a DVA Gold Card marked either ‘War Widow’ or ‘War Widow Pension’ or ‘Totally and Permanently Incapacitated’ or ‘Disability Pension’

If you’re not sure about your eligibility, you can call Services NSW at 13 77 88.

How to Apply for the NSW Low Income Household Rebate (On-Supply Customers)

If you’re an on supply customer, the application process for the Low-income household government energy rebate is a little different.

You can apply for the Low Income Household Rebate online, by email, or through post. However, applying online is the easiest and quickest method.

Here are the steps to apply for the Low Income Household Rebate online as an on-supply customer

  1. Select to apply online and either log into or create a MyServiceNSW account
  2. Select ‘Services’ and then ‘NSW Energy Rebates’
  3. Agree to the Terms and Conditions and follow the instructions on the screen
  4. Enter your required details, and upload your energy invoice
  5. Submit the application

You can also download and complete the PDF low-income rebate application form and attach a copy of your most recent energy invoice or bill, which can then be sent by mail or email.

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Required Documents for Low Income Household Rebate Application

Here is a list of documents needed to apply for the Low Income Household Rebate as an on-supply customer:

  • A printed copy of your latest energy invoice
  • Personal and contact details
  • Your Pensioner Concession, Health Care, or DVA Gold Card details
  • Bank account details for the electronic funds transfer

The copy of your energy bill is accepted in either JPG or PDF format and must include your name and address, as well as the most recent meter readings for your household.

The meter reading on your energy invoice must be less than three months old and taken after 1 July of the current financial year.

Lower your energy billIf you haven't compared energy providers or energy prices in New South Wales in a while, you could be paying too much for your energy. Switching your electricity provider to a cheaper plan can save you a couple of hundred dollars per year.

What Other NSW Energy Rebates Are Available?

There are a number of energy rebates in New South Wales, including:

What Other Ways Can I Lower My Energy Bill?

More about Rebates

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