How to claim a concession
Check your card
Most concessions need a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card or DVA Gold Card. Some states have their own cards or income tests.
Contact your retailer
In most states you give your card details to your retailer, which applies the concession to your account. A few are paid through a state government office instead.
Check the next bill
The concession should appear as a credit. If it does not, call your retailer.
Reapply when things change
When you move house, switch retailers or get a new card, make sure the concession moves with you.
The concession is on top of any saving from a better plan. Use our bill calculator to see what your bill should be before the credit is taken off.
The main concession in each state
| State | Concession | Amount | Who can get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | NSW Low Income Household Rebate | Up to $285 a year | Pensioner Concession, Health Care, Low Income Health Care or Veteran Gold Card holders |
| Victoria | Victorian Utility Relief Grant | Up to $650 per utility | Concession or low-income households in temporary hardship |
| Queensland | Queensland Electricity Rebate | $399.47 a year | Pensioner, Health Care, Queensland Seniors or DVA Gold Card holders |
| SA | SA Energy Bill Concession | Up to $291.27 a year | Pensioners and eligible low-income households |
| WA | WA Energy Assistance Payment | $377.14 a year | Pensioner Concession, Health Care, Commonwealth Seniors Health and DVA Gold Card holders |
| Tasmania | Tasmanian Annual Electricity Concession | About $673 a year | Eligible low-income and concession card households |
| ACT | ACT Electricity, Gas and Water Rebate | $800 a year | Eligible concession card holders |
| NT | NT Electricity Concession | Up to $1,200 a year | Members of the NT Concession Scheme |
Victoria's main concession is the Annual Electricity Concession, which takes 17.5% off bills. The Utility Relief Grant listed above is a separate one-off grant for households in a crisis. For every program in every state, see our energy rebates section or the rebate finder.
How much a concession is worth
A concession can cover a large share of a typical bill. In Queensland, the $399.47 rebate is about 22% of the annual cost for a home using 4,000 kWh on the Energex regulated price. In the ACT, the $800 rebate is about 41% of the same usage on the Evoenergy regulated price.
Check it is on your bill
A concession that drops off after you switch retailers or move house is one of the most common billing mistakes. Look for the credit on every bill, and give your card details to any new retailer straight away.
Other help you may be able to get
- Medical energy concessions for people who need heating or cooling because of a medical condition.
- Life support concessions for households running equipment such as oxygen concentrators or home dialysis.
- Emergency payments such as the NSW Energy Accounts Payment Assistance scheme or the Victorian Utility Relief Grant, for households in a crisis.
- Retailer hardship programs for anyone struggling to pay. See our hardship guide.
Questions about electricity concessions
Usually holders of a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card or DVA Gold Card who have the electricity account in their name. Some states extend eligibility to other cards or low-income households. Check the rules for your state.
In most states, contact your retailer and give your concession card details. The retailer applies the rebate to your account and it appears as a credit on your bills. A few concessions are paid through a state government office instead.
Call your retailer. The usual causes are a new or expired card, a change of retailer or address, or the card being in a different name from the account. Most states allow some backdating, such as up to 12 months in Victoria.
Not automatically. Give your card details to the new retailer when you sign up, then check your first bill to make sure the concession appears.
Yes, if the electricity account is in your name. If your landlord or an embedded network operator bills you, eligibility rules differ by state. Ask your state concessions office.
Sources
Every rate on this page comes from the regulator or the regulated retailer. Last checked October 2026. Prices include GST unless we say otherwise.