Help to pay your electricity bill is available for eligible households, and small businesses. The Energy Bill Relief rebate applies in addition to the South Australian energy concession.
If you currently receive the energy concession, you’re already eligible for the rebate, and it will automatically be applied to your bills. You don’t need to do anything.
If you don’t receive the energy concession, check if you’re eligible for that first.
Energy concession - who can apply
Some people will be eligible for the rebate, but not concessions. They will be contacted in September 2023 about what they need to do.
Who is eligible for the additional rebate
Households
The person whose name appears on the electricity bill must have one of these:
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card (including Low Income Health Care Card)
- DVA Gold Card
- Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
- Family Tax Benefit (FTB) A or B
- Carer Allowance
Or, you must be eligible for the South Australian energy concession.
A household can only receive a single rebate even if there is more than one eligible person living there.
Small businesses
In South Australia, small businesses that consume less than 160MWh of electricity per annum will receive the bill relief automatically from 1 July 2023.
To be eligible, your business must be on a separately metered business tariff with your electricity retailer.
Small businesses that consume more than 160MWh of electricity per annum are not eligible.
Rebate amount
The total rates for the 2023-24 financial year are:
- households - up to $500 a year (paid as a quarterly amount of $125)
- small businesses - up to $650 a year.
What happens next
Already receiving an energy concession
You will start receiving the additional rebate from 1 July 2023. Most people will automatically receive it directly onto their 2023-24 electricity bills.
If you don’t get bills from an electricity retailer (for example, you’re with an embedded network, or you generate your own energy), your rebate will be paid into your bank account via electronic funds transfer.
Don’t receive an energy concession
You should check:
- if you hold one of the eligible cards or payments
- If you do, apply for household concessions
- your electricity account is in your name. You can ask your retailer to change this if needed.
If you don't have one of these cards or payments (for example, you receive only Carer Allowance or Family Tax Benefit), you could still be eligible for the rebate. Services Australia or DVA will contact you in September 2023 if you need to take any action.
Small businesses
Eligible small businesses will automatically receive the rebate from 1 July 2023 through their electricity retailer.
Changing retailers
Let us know if you change your electricity retailer between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024.
When you receive your first electricity bill from them, update your details using the household concessions form or phone the ConcessionsSA Hotline on 1800 307 758.
On your bill, your name must:
- be listed as an account holder
- match your Centrelink or DVA card.
Energy retailers in South Australia cannot transfer your concession, you must contact ConcessionsSA.
