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Energy rebates guide

Life Support Electricity Rebates Compared Across Australia

Running medical equipment at home costs money in electricity. Here is the help each state gives, and the very different rules on what is covered.

Checked against regulator sources, October 2026

Programs
6
compared here
States
6
with a program
Checked
Oct 2026
official sources

What to know

Every state except the NT has a life support electricity concession, but they are built differently. NSW, Tasmania and the ACT do not need a concession card. Victoria, Queensland and WA do. Some pay per device, others a flat amount.

CPAP is the biggest difference. It is covered in Tasmania, the ACT and, for specified conditions, WA, but not in Queensland. Whatever you claim, also register your address as a life support address with your retailer for outage protection. See our guide to medical equipment and electricity.

Life support electricity concessions by state

Life support electricity concessions by state, 2026-27
ProgramWhereWorth
Life Support RebateNSWDepends on equipment, up to $1,343.20 a year
Life Support ConcessionVICThe cost of 1,880 kWh of electricity a year
Electricity Life Support ConcessionQLD$1,063.30 a year per oxygen concentrator, $712.07 per dialysis machine
Life Support Equipment Energy SubsidyWA$58 to $1,517 a year per item
Life Support ConcessionTAS13.702 to 257.485 cents a day, by device
Life Support RebateACT$150 a year
From official government sources, checked October 2026. Follow the links for full rules.

Rebates by state: NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, ACT, NT, federal.

What each program requires

Life Support Rebate (NSW)

  • You, or someone living with you, needs approved energy-intensive life support equipment at home, such as home dialysis, a ventilator or an oxygen concentrator.
  • A registered medical practitioner confirms the equipment is required at your principal place of residence.
  • You are named on the electricity account. No concession card is needed.

Paid: As a daily credit on each electricity bill, or into your bank account for embedded network customers. Full details.

Life Support Concession (VIC)

  • You hold a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card or Veterans' Affairs Gold Card and are the electricity account holder.
  • You, or someone in your household, uses an eligible machine: an intermittent peritoneal dialysis machine, an oxygen concentrator or a haemodialysis machine.

Paid: As a discount on your electricity bill. Full details.

Electricity Life Support Concession (QLD)

  • Oxygen concentrator users: the machine is supplied free through the Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme, you have been assessed under its criteria, and you hold a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, Health Care Interim Voucher, Child Disability Allowance or Queensland Seniors Card.
  • Kidney dialysis users: the home machine is supplied free through a Queensland Health hospital.
  • Machines not supplied by the scheme or Queensland Health, and CPAP machines, are not eligible.

Paid: Calculated monthly and paid quarterly into your bank account. Full details.

Life Support Equipment Energy Subsidy (WA)

  • You are the patient, or the guardian or primary carer of a patient, who depends on specified life support equipment at home under specialist medical advice.
  • You hold a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card or Health Care Interim Voucher. The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card does not qualify.
  • The equipment is prescribed by a relevant medical practitioner, or by a GP working from a specialist's written diagnosis.

Paid: Into your nominated bank account, within 10 working days of approval. Full details.

Life Support Concession (TAS)

  • The account holder requires, or lives with someone who requires, an approved life support system at their principal place of residence.
  • A medical practitioner certifies the application.

Paid: As a daily discount on your electricity bills. Full details.

Life Support Rebate (ACT)

  • Someone in your household uses electrically operated life support equipment, prescribed by an ACT medical practitioner for a life-threatening condition.
  • Eligible equipment includes dialysis machines, oxygen concentrators, respirators, CPAP regulators, nebulisers and TPN devices.
  • A sub-category covers concession card holders with a condition needing medical heating or cooling.

Paid: As a daily credit of about 41.096 cents on your electricity bill. One per household. Full details.

Common questions

In Tasmania and the ACT, yes, and in WA for specified life-threatening conditions. Queensland's concession excludes CPAP.

Not in NSW, Tasmania or the ACT. Victoria, Queensland and WA require an eligible concession card.

The rebate helps with running costs. Registration with your retailer means you get written notice of planned outages and priority information. They are separate steps.

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.