National Energy Bill Relief

Around 1.6 million households and 300,000 small businesses in NSW are eligible for a new targeted and temporary National Energy Bill Relief payment in financial year 2023-24. This is a joint initiative between the Australian and NSW Governments.

Eligible low-income households, pensioners, self-funded retirees, families and carers will receive a one-off bill relief payment of up to $500 towards their electricity bills. 

Most eligible households started to automatically receive their bill relief payment on their electricity bills in quarterly instalments of $125 from 31 July 2023.

Eligibility was re-checked on 31 October 2023 and will be checked again on 31 January 2024 and 30 April 2024.

Eligible small businesses using less than 100 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity per year will receive a one-off bill relief payment of up to $650 towards their electricity bill.

Most eligible small businesses started to receive their National Energy Bill Relief payment on their electricity bills in quarterly instalments of $162.50 from 31 July 2023. Eligibility was re-checked on 31 October 2023 and will be checked again on 31 January 2024 and 30 April 2024.

The National Energy Bill Relief payment is in addition to any existing NSW energy rebates you receive.

Household eligibility

National Energy Bill Relief is available to households already receiving the NSW:

• Low-Income Household (electricity) Rebate
• Seniors Energy Rebate
• Family Energy Rebate
• Medical Energy Rebate
• Life Support Rebate. 

You may be eligible for the National Energy Bill Relief payment if you don’t receive a NSW energy rebate and you: 

• hold a valid Low Income Health Care Card 
• hold a valid Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Gold Card
• receive the Carer Allowance. 

Please note:

• You must be the energy account holder for your principal place of residence to receive the energy rebates and bill relief payment. 
• You may be eligible for multiple energy rebates however only one bill relief payment is available for each household in financial year 2023-24.
• Most eligible customers will receive a quarterly payment from July 2023.

How to apply

Application process if you receive or are eligible for a NSW energy rebate

If you receive a NSW energy rebate in financial year 2023-24, you will automatically receive the National Energy Bill Relief payment. You do not need to apply. 

If you are eligible for a NSW energy rebate but do not receive it, you will first need to apply for the rebate. You will then automatically receive the bill relief payment. 

Application process for retail (on-market) customers who are not eligible for an energy rebate

If you receive the Low Income Health Care Card or Carer Allowance you can apply for the bill relief payment through MyGov.

If you hold a Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Gold Card you can apply for the bill relief payment through your electricity retailer from November 2023. 
 

Application process for embedded network (on-supply) customers who are not eligible for an energy rebate 

If you receive the Low Income Health Care Card, DVA Gold Card or receive the Carer Allowance you can now apply for your National Energy Bill Relief payment online through the Service NSW website. Your application will be processed by the Office of Energy and Climate Change within 2-6 weeks. Applications will close on 30 June 2024.

If you are unsure whether you are a retail or embedded network customer, contact the energy provider named on your electricity bill. 

Small business eligibility

To be eligible for the bill relief payment, your small business must:

• not have already received the National Energy Bill Relief payment for small businesses
• be based in NSW
• have an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
• be named on the electricity bill or account
• be on a separately metered business tariff
• use less than 100 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity per year.

Please note: If you operate your small business using electricity from your home on a residential tariff, you are not eligible.  Other exclusions may apply, for example, post offices, government-owned agencies, gas and water retailers, and telecommunications companies are also not eligible.

How to apply

The application process is different depending on whether you are an on-market or an embedded network (on-supply) customer.  

• Most small businesses are on-market electricity customers that get their energy bills from an authorised energy retailer. If you are an eligible on-market customer, you do not need to do anything. Energy retailers automatically started to apply the bill relief payment to eligible small businesses electricity accounts in quarterly instalments of $162.50 from 31 July 2023, 31 October 2023, 31 January 2024 and 30 April 2024. Please check your latest bill for this payment. If you have not received the payment, please contact the electricity retailer named on your bill. 
• Some small businesses are located in an embedded electricity network (on-supply) and get an energy bill or invoice from, or on behalf of, the owners or management company where your business is located such as shopping centres. If you are an embedded network (on-supply) customer, you can now apply for your bill relief payment online through the SmartyGrants website. Your application will be processed by the Office of Energy and Climate Change within 2-6 weeks. Applications will close on 30 June 2024.

If you’re not sure whether you are an on-market or embedded network (on-supply) customer, please contact the provider named on your energy bill.