Energy Bill Relief Fund 2024–25

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What’s the Energy Bill Relief Fund?

Am I eligible for the Energy Bill Relief Fund?

How do I get the $300 government energy rebate? Do I need to apply?

When will I receive the rebate?

How will I get the rebate?

Are there other rebates or concessions?

How else could I save on my electricity bill?

Where can I find and compare electricity plans?

Long story short

You could be eligible for $300 off your electricity bill

You just need to have an active electricity account with an electricity retailer.

The rebate generally comes in quarterly sums of $75

It’ll usually be applied automatically to your electricity bill as credit.

You may be able to access other rebates, concessions, and loans

Check with your relevant state authority as to what’s available.

Making changes to your home and electricity usage could lower your bill further

These changes can be small, like swapping to LED bulbs, but still worthwhile.

What’s the Energy Bill Relief Fund? 

The Energy Bill Relief Fund is a federal government initiative. By helping you pay your electricity bills, the government hopes to provide a little relief amidst ongoing cost of living pressures. 

The fund was initially created in 2023–24 with a whopping $1.5 billion ready to be paid to households and eligible small businesses. Like the best action blockbusters, it’s come back bigger than ever; the pool for 2024–25 is $3.5 billion. 

Of course, you won’t be seeing figures in the billions. It’s to be shared out as $300 for eligible households and $325 for eligible small businesses. 

The Energy Bill Relief Fund has become a national alternative to similar state and territory bill relief schemes. Some state-based options, like Victoria’s Power Saving Bonus ($250 for eligible households), are no longer available, while others can be received with the federal fund. For instance, Queenslanders may be able to get both the $300 from the federal government along with $1,000 from the state’s Cost of Living Rebate. 

Am I eligible for the Energy Bill Relief Fund? 

Yes, most likely. Most Australians are eligible. All your household needs is an active account with an electricity retailer.  

Unfortunately, this means that households which don’t have separately metered electricity won’t be eligible for the rebate. This might be the case for you if your electricity is included in your rent, for example. 

How do I get the $300 government energy rebate? Do I need to apply?  

No, unlike many other types of government rebates or assistance, you generally don’t need to apply for the Energy Bill Relief Fund rebate. You’ll just need to have that active electricity account in your name with an electricity retailer on the relevant census date. 

For instance, if you live in New South Wales, households needed to have an active account on 31 July 2024 to receive the first quarter payment. 

When will I receive the rebate? 

While the total household rebate is $300, you’ll actually receive it as four quarterly payments – that’s $75 every three months. Therefore, your electricity account needs to be active at each census date. Otherwise, you may not get the full amount. 

It may take a little while for each partial rebate to come through, and at times you may get two-quarters’ worth at once. If you’re concerned that your rebate hasn’t shown up, you can reach out to your electricity retailer. 

There are two exceptions to the quarterly payment, though.  

Firstly, WA customers will get a bi-annual payment of $150.  

The other exception is those living in an embedded network. These households will get the rebate as a lump $300. Places like retirement villages, caravan parks, and some apartment buildings often get their electricity through embedded networks. 

Additionally, they may need to actively apply for it through their state’s energy body. Those in Victoria, for instance, will need to go through Victorian Energy Compare.  

There may also be cut-off dates as to when you’ll need to make that application by.

Helpful tip:

Not sure if you’re part of an embedded network?  

If you have a recent electricity bill handy, you could check if you have a National Metering Identifier (NMI) number listed on your account. If you do, then you’re probably not part of an embedded network. 

Alternatively, you could check with your body corporate or property manager. 

How will I get the rebate? 

Rather than dropping the money directly into your bank account, the process is a little more complicated with the aim of ultimately making things simpler for you. 

It’s on your state or territory government to send the rebate to your electricity retailer. Your electricity retailer then lists that amount as credit on your bill, deducting it from your total owing. All you need to do is pay your listed due amount like normal. 

The simplified example bill below gives you an idea of what this might look like in your letterbox or inbox.

Are there other rebates or concessions? 

The Energy Bill Relief Fund isn’t the only financial help you may be able to access when it comes to electricity bills. For example, different states and territories have their own rebates and concessions.  

Be aware though that you may need to meet certain eligibility requirements if you were hoping to get more off your electricity bill. For instance, you may need to have certain concession cards, be undergoing financial hardship, require heating or cooling under medical grounds, or simply have a lower income. 

Your state or territory may also have grants, loans, and rebates you can apply for to help cover some of the costs of making your home more energy efficient, including rebates for installing solar. 

These may come with limits, though, as to how much you can get back or off your purchase, along with restrictions about what is covered. 

You can check what electricity bill help is available in your state or territory using the energy.gov.au’s rebates and assistance search tool.

How else could I save on my electricity bill? 

Sitting back and getting a $300 rebate is definitely a sweet deal. However, being proactive about your electricity usage and plan could also help slim down your bill. Since there’s lots of ways to go about saving on your electricity bill – and we don’t want you to feel overwhelmed with all there is to do – we’ve pulled together a few things you can try this week, this month, and this year. 

Where can I find and compare electricity plans? 

Don’t just rely on the rebate to lower your electricity bill; getting proactive could mean you save more. And you can get started right now by comparing electricity plans from a range of providers online with iSelect. Alternatively, you can call one of our energy comparison experts on 13 19 20.