Western Australian residents that are feeling the strain of rising power bills will soon see some reprieve, after the state government announced it is once again handing out $400 in energy credit to all households.
As part of the state’s 2023-2024 Budget, Premier Mark McGowan announced that all households will soon receive a split payment, broken into two $200 credits, to go towards their electricity bills in an effort to alleviate cost-of-living pressures.
The bill relief is set to be paid to all households during the July/August and November/December billing cycles.
It’s the second time that WA households will receive this kind of energy payment relief, after a similar rebate was implemented by the state in its 2022-2023 Budget.
In addition to the payment for households, small businesses have also been told they can expect a $650 bill credit to help with electricity costs, as was outlined in the wider Federal Budget earlier this week.
Eligible concession card holders in WA are also anticipated to receive a boosted energy credit worth $500, as opposed to the standard $400. This is also as a result of the Federal Government’s energy relief plan.
WA Premier Mark McGowan said the boosted credit would be available to those most impacted by the cost-of-living crisis.
“Additional assistance will be provided for those most in need of support, with around 350,000 households that are eligible for the indexed energy assistance payment to instead receive a $500 household electricity credit split over two payments,” he said. “This is in addition to $326 in support paid over the financial year, which brings total support to $826.”
Energy relief payments are anticipated to kick off from mid-July, with vulnerable and concession customers to receive their payments first.
For more information regarding this payment and what you can expect, it is best to visit the WA state government website.
Which energy credit am I eligible for?
While the $400 energy bill credit is standard for all households, some residents in WA may be eligible for additional benefits depending on their personal circumstances.
For example, the following residents may be eligible for the Energy Concession Extension Scheme (ECES) in WA and entitled to the boosted $500 bill credit:
- Pensioner Concession Card holders
- Health Care Card holders
- Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders
- Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card holders
Residents that receive the Family Tax Benefit A and B or a Carer’s allowance will be eligible to receive a $400 energy bill credit, jointly-funded by the state and Commonwealth Government.
It is important to note however, that these credits are in place of each other, not in addition to one another. So, if your household is eligible for the $500 energy bill credit, you will receive this in place of the standard $400 credit issued to other households, not on top of it.
How do I apply for my energy bill credit in WA?
Households that have their energy supplied by either Synergy or Horizon Power will not need to apply for the $400 power bill credit. This will be applied directly to their account by their electricity provider.
Residents looking to cash in on additional benefits however, may need to apply for these in various forms, depending on their circumstance. Concession holders, for example, will need to apply for the ECES in order to be eligible for the boosted $500 payment. This will require them to provide evidence of their electricity costs as of May 9, 2023. Failure to provide this evidence may cause households to be ineligible for the $500 electricity credit.
Households that receive the Family Tax Benefit A and B or a Carer’s allowance will have applications open at a later date for bill credit eligibility.
Approved concession holders can expect their payment to be made from mid-July. All other applications, including the standard credit for all households, will have their credits issued from mid-August.
For the full terms and conditions, including eligibility criteria, it is best to visit the WA government’s website.
Image credit: fizkes/Shutterstock.com
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