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.
National Energy Bill Relief for households
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 quarterly instalments of $125 on their electricity bills from 31 July 2023.
Eligibility was checked on 31 July 2023 and 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.
Only one National Energy Bill Relief payment is available for each household in financial year 2023-24.
Household eligibility
National Energy Bill Relief is available to households receiving the NSW energy rebates below.
You may be eligible for the Low Income Household Rebate if you live in NSW and all of the following apply:
- You have an electricity account for your home in NSW.
- You are the account holder named on the electricity bill.
- You hold one of the following valid cards:
- Pensioner Concession Card issued by Services Australia or the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA)
- Health Care Card issued by Services Australia, or
- Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) Gold Card marked with either 'War Widow', 'War Widower Pension', 'Totally and Permanently Incapacitated' (TPI) or 'Disability Pension' (EDA).
You may be eligible if you live in NSW and all of the following apply:
- You have an electricity account for your home in NSW.
- You are the account holder named on the electricity bill.
- You hold one of the following valid cards:
- Pensioner Concession Card issued by Services Australia or the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA)
- Health Care Card issued by Services Australia, or
- Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) Gold Card.
- You or someone living with you:
- is not able to self-regulate body temperature
- is assessed by a registered medical practitioner (GP or specialist) who has been treating you or the person for at least 3 months, and
- meets at least one Primary Qualifying Condition and at least one Secondary Qualifying Condition.
Note: A medical practitioner cannot provide an assessment if they are also the applicant.
You may be eligible for the Life Support Rebate if you live in NSW and all of the following apply:
- You have an electricity account for your home in NSW
- You are the account holder named on the electricity bill
- You or someone living with you has been assessed by a registered medical practitioner to verify that the use of the approved life support equipment is required at their principal place of residence.
You may be eligible for the Family Energy Rebate if you live in NSW and all of the following apply:
- You have an electricity account for your home in NSW.
- You are the account holder named on the electricity bill.
- You received the Family Tax Benefit in the previous financial year and you have:
- lodged your tax return for the last financial year with the Australian Tax Office (ATO), and
- finalised your entitlement to the Family Tax Benefit payments with Centrelink.
You may be eligible for the Seniors Energy Rebate if you live in NSW and all of the following apply:
- You have an electricity account for your home in NSW.
- You are the account holder named on the electricity bill.
- You are a self-funded retiree.
- You are applying for the rebate for your main place of residence.
- You hold a valid Commonwealth Seniors Health Card issued by Services Australia or Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA).
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, or
- hold a valid Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Gold Card, or
- 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 National Energy Bill Relief payment.
- You may be eligible for multiple energy rebates however only one National Energy 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 if you are not eligible for a NSW energy rebate
The application process differs if you are a retail (on-market) or embedded network (on-supply) electricity customer. You are a retail (on-market) electricity customer if you receive your electricity bill from an authorised energy provider. You are an embedded network (on-supply) electricity customer if you receive your electricity bill from the owner or manager of your retirement village, strata complex or caravan park.
If you are a retail (on-market) electricity customer and:
- you hold the Low Income Health Care Card or receive the Carer Allowance you can apply for the bill relief payment through MyGov
- you hold a Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Gold Card you can apply for the bill relief payment through your energy provider.
If you are an embedded network (on-supply) electricity customer and:
- you hold the Low Income Health Care Card, Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Gold Card or receive the Carer Allowance, you can apply for the bill relief payment at Service NSW. 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 (on-market) or embedded network (on-supply) customer, contact the energy provider named on your electricity bill.
National Energy Bill Relief for small businesses
Eligible small businesses will receive a one-off bill relief payment of up to $650 towards their electricity bill.
Most eligible small businesses started to receive the National Energy Bill Relief in quarterly instalments of $162.50 on their electricity bills from 31 July 2023. Eligibility was checked on 31 October 2023 and will be checked again on 31 January 2024 and 30 April 2024.
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
Application process if your small business is an on-market electricity customer
Most small businesses are on-market electricity customers and receive their energy bills from an authorised energy provider. If your small business is an on-market electricity customer, you do not need to apply.
Energy providers will apply the bill relief in quarterly instalments of $162.50 to eligible small businesses’ electricity accounts 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 energy provider named on your electricity bill.
Application process if your small business is an embedded network (on-supply) electricity customer
Your small business is an embedded network (on-supply) electricity customer if you receive an electricity bill or invoice from, or on behalf of, the owners or management company where the business is located such as a shopping centre.
Embedded network (on-supply) customers can apply online for the bill relief payment at SmartyGrants. 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 not sure whether your small business is an on-market or embedded network (on-supply) customer, please contact the energy provider named on your electricity bill.
Fact sheets
- Fact sheet for households - Arabic
- Fact sheet for households - Chinese Simplified
- Fact sheet for households - Chinese Traditional
- Fact sheet for households - Farsi
- Fact sheet for households - Greek
- Fact sheet for households - Italian
- Fact sheet for households - Korean
- Fact sheet for households - Nepali
- Fact sheet for households - Spanish
- Fact sheet for households - Vietnamese
- Fact sheet for businesses - Arabic
- Fact sheet for businesses - Chinese Simplified
- Fact sheet for businesses - Chinese Traditional
- Fact sheet for businesses - Farsi
- Fact sheet for businesses - Greek
- Fact sheet for businesses - Italian
- Fact sheet for businesses - Korean
- Fact sheet for businesses - Nepali
- Fact sheet for businesses - Spanish
- Fact sheet for businesses - Vietnamese