KEY POINTS
- Energy concessions are electricity bill rebate schemes operated by the government on a state and/or federal level.
- To date, there are nine active concession schemes in Victoria.
- Energy rebates are just one of many ways to reduce your energy bill.
Victorian residents may be eligible for a range of electricity and gas rebates and concessions.
In this article, Canstar Blue lists current energy rebates in Victoria and how to access them.
On this page:
- Energy rebates and concessions in Victoria
- Federal Government’s Energy Bill Relief Fund extension
- Annual Electricity Concession
- Excess Electricity Concession
- Winter Gas Concession
- Excess Gas Concession
- Life Support Concession
- Medical Cooling Concession
- Non-Mains Energy Concession
- Utility Relief Grant Scheme
- Utility Relief Grant Scheme (non-mains)
- Victorian energy concessions that are no longer available
- What else can I do to save money on electricity bills in Victoria?
Energy rebates and concessions in Victoria
Federal Government’s Energy Bill Relief Fund extension
Eligible Victorian households can claim an additional $150 off electricity bills continuing in July 2025 under the Australian Government’s extended Energy Bill Relief fund.
Annual Electricity Concession
The Annual Electricity Concession gives pensioners, veterans or concession card holders a discount on their yearly power bill.
Customers with high power bills (more than $3,895.13 annually) are not eligible for this concession. This concession does not apply to the first $171.60 of the annual bill.
Benefit:
17.5% off your electricity usage and service costs.
Eligibility
To be eligible, the electricity account holder must hold a
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card
- Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card.
Applied to
Electricity bills.
How to apply
Applicants need to contact their electricity provider directly and give their concession card details.
Note
Have concession card and energy account details ready.
Excess Electricity Concession
Starting 1 Dec 2024, the Excess Electricity Concession is for financially vulnerable Australians with energy bills that exceed $3,985.13 annually for non-medical reasons.
Concession amount
17.5% of electricity usage and service costs.
Eligibility
To be eligible, the electricity account holder must either hold a
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card
- Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card
Applied to
Electricity bills.
How to apply
Applicants need to contact their energy retailer and request an Excess Electricity Concession Application Form.
Winter Gas Concession
Throughout winter (May 1 to October 31), the Victorian Government provides concession card holders with an extra discount on their gas bills.
The Winter Gas Concession doesn’t apply to the first $62.40 for electricity bills across the six-month winter period. Customers with bills exceeding $2,499.14 must apply for the Excess Gas Concession to continue receiving concessions on their bills.
Concession amount
17.5% of gas usage and service costs.
Eligibility:
To be eligible, the gas account holder must hold either a:
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card
- Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card
Applied to
Gas bills.
How to apply
- Applicants need to contact their natural gas supplier over the phone or submit the application online.
- After the gas provider verifies concession card details with Centrelink, customers will receive the Winter Gas Concession on their next bill.
Excess Gas Concession
Financially vulnerable households with gas bills above $2,499.14 between May 1 and October 31 could be eligible for a concession on their gas bills.
Concession amount
17.5% of gas usage and service costs (after retailer discounts are deducted).
Eligibility
To be eligible, the gas account holder must either hold a
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card
- Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card
Applied to
Gas bills.
How to apply
- The applicant’s retailer should send an application form for the Excess Gas Concession once they’ve been alerted of a customer’s eligibility.
- Applicants need to fill out the application and mail it back to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing listed.
- Once your eligibility has been verified by the department, your retailer will apply the concession to your next bill.
Life Support Concession
The Life Support Concession is for homes with at least one member requiring the use of a life support machine, making them eligible for assistance with their electricity bills.
Concession amount
The cost of 1,880 kWh of electricity per year, or 470 kilowatt hours per quarter, at the chosen retailer’s rate. For water, it is the cost of 168 kilolitres each year, or 42 kL per quarter.
Eligibility
To be eligible, the electricity or water account holder must either hold a:
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card
- Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card
And an eligible life support machine being used by the account holder or a household resident.
Applied to
Electricity and/or water bills.
How to apply
- Receive an application form through your electricity retailer or hospital supplying the life support machine.
- Obtain a signature from a doctor or nurse to confirm the usage of the life support machine.
- Send the form directly to the electricity retailer once the application is completed.
- Your electricity retailer and/or water corporation will apply the concession to your bill after verifying your concession card details with Centrelink.
Medical Cooling Concession
The Victorian Government offers electricity rebates to concession card holders suffering from certain medical conditions inhibiting body temperature regulation such as
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Lymphoedema
- Parkinson’s disease
- Fibromyalgia
- Post-polio Syndrome/Poliomyelitis
- Motor Neurone Disease
Concession amount
17.5% of electricity usage and service costs between November 1 and April 30.
Eligibility
Applicants must hold a Concession, Health Care or Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card. They or someone in their household must have a medical condition affecting their ability to self-regulate body temperature.
Applied to
Electricity bills.
How to apply
Applicants can contact their electricity company or the Concessions Information Line for a Medical Cooling Concession application. The application needs to be filled out by the applicant and then signed by a health professional. The completed form should be sent directly to the electricity retailer.
Non-mains Energy Concession
Concession card holders could be eligible for a concession on non-main energy supply for heating, cooking or hot water.
Concession amount
Varies according to your spending, between $55 and $634.
Eligibility
To be eligible, the account holder must either hold a
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card
- Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card
Applied to
LPG bills, embedded network electricity, heating costs through firewood, heating oil or generator fuel.
How to apply
Applicants can call the Victorian Concessions Information Line and ask for an application form.
Note: Applications close on December 31 for the following year’s bills.
Utility Relief Grant Scheme
The Utility Relief Grant Scheme is available for Victorian households needing assistance to pay an overdue mains electricity, gas or water bill.
Concession amount
Up to $650 for each utility type in two years, or $1,300 over two years for households using a single source of energy (electricity only).
Eligibility
The applicant must prove inability to pay the bill while also having one of the following:
- An unexpectedly high cost for essential items
- Someone at the applicant’s property who has experienced domestic violence
- A recent drop in income or the cost of rent/mortgage is over 30% of the applicant’s income.
Applied to
Electricity, gas or water bill.
How to apply
Applicants need to contact their energy provider.
Utility Relief Grant Scheme (Non-mains)
The Victorian Government has made the Utility Relief Grant Scheme (Non-mains) available for Victorian households with very low incomes facing unexpected financial hardships.
Concession amount
Up to $650 in a two-year period, for each type of utility.
Eligibility
The applicant must prove inability to pay the bill while also having one of the following:
- An unexpectedly high cost for essential items
- Someone at the applicant’s property who has experienced domestic violence
- A recent drop in income or the cost of rent/mortgage is over 30% of the applicant’s income
Applied to
- Electricity bills
- Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
- Diesel and petrol (for a generator)
- Firewood
- Metered electricity from an embedded network
- Carted water
- Cleaning of a septic tank
How to apply
Applicants can phone the Concessions Information Line on 1800 658 521.
Victorian energy concessions that are no longer available
There are several previously available rebates and concessions that have now been withdrawn, including:
- Service to Property Charge Concession
- Electricity Transfer Fee Waiver
- Controlled Load Electricity Concession
What else can I do to save money on electricity bills in Victoria?
We highly recommend shopping around for the cheapest and best plans in Victoria using Canstar Blue’s comparison tool. Shopping around regularly empowers you to switch to more compelling deals, be it generous sign-up bonuses or other value-added incentives.
Compare energy deals
Here are some sponsored deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from referral partners†. These costs are based on the Citipower network in Melbourne but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area and to see other products in our database that may be available. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.
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10% Less than VDO |
$1,304 Price/year (estimated) |
Go to Site |
Here are some of the cheapest published deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from referral partners†. Costs are based on the Citipower network in Melbourne but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area and to see other products in our database that may be available. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.
Image credits: trabantos/Shutterstock.com
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