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Many people contact the Energy Ombudsman Queensland (EOQ) because they are having problems paying their energy bill. If you are facing disconnection and cannot pay your bill, you should contact your energy retailer immediately to find out what assistance they can provide to avoid disconnection. If you wait until you've been disconnected to contact them, you will probably have to pay a reconnection fee, an increased security deposit and the balance of your bill before reconnection.
Energy retailer assistance
Payment plans
Your energy retailer may offer you a payment plan if you are having trouble paying your energy bill. When you enter into a payment plan you agree to pay a nominated amount regularly towards your bill. Your energy retailer can only refuse a payment plan if you have defaulted on two previous arrangements. You should only agree to an amount you can realistically afford because if you break the payment plan you could be disconnected and required to pay a reconnection fee, an increased security deposit and the balance of your bill before reconnection. If you and your energy retailer cannot agree on the amount of your payment plan, you can contact EOQ for assistance.
Centrepay
If you are a Centrelink customer, you can contact your energy retailer to find out if you can set up a Centrepay agreement. Centrepay allows you to nominate an amount that is automatically deducted from your pension or benefit payment into your energy account. By making these automatic payments every fortnight, you will reduce the amount still owing on your account when you receive your energy bill, making it easier to pay. Contact your energy retailer or Centrelink to ask about Centrepay.
Financial hardship programs
Queensland energy retailers must have financial hardship policies and programs in place to help customers who are experiencing extreme difficulty paying their bills due to unforeseen circumstances such as loss of income or illness. These programs assist customers to pay off their energy debt by implementing affordable payment plans that allow customers to get back on track. They also aim to educate customers about energy efficiency and ways to cut down on future energy costs.
Queensland Government assistance
Rebates
Queensland Government electricity and gas rebates are available to eligible pensioners, holders of a Queensland Government Senior Card or Pensioner Concession Card. If you are eligible, your rebate will be credited to your energy account with each bill. Contact your energy retailer to find out more and to provide your rebate details. If you are entitled to a rebate that you haven't received, your account should be back-dated for the correct period of up to 12 months. The rebate is calculated at a certain rate per day, so your rebate may vary from bill to bill depending on the number of days in the billing period. If you receive a rebate, you do not have to pay the Community Ambulance Cover levy, which Queensland energy consumers pay as part of their energy bill.
Medical cooling and heating concession
From 1 July 2010, the Queensland Government introduced a new electricity concession to assist low-income Queenslanders who have specific medical conditions to meet the electricity costs they incur through frequent operation of an air-conditioner to regulate their body temperature. For more information contact Concession Services, Smart Service Queensland on 1800 460 849, email concessions@smartservice.qld.gov.au or visit their website.
Life support concession
The Electricity Life Support Concession Scheme offers eligible users of oxygen concentrators and kidney dialysis machines a concession per month (paid quarterly) to assist with meeting electricity costs. The scheme provides financial assistance to seriously ill people who use home-based life support systems, provided they have been medically assessed in accordance with the eligibility criteria determined by Queensland Health. For more information, contact the Concessions Unit, Department of Communities on (07) 3247 5907 or 13 13 04 (local call charge outside Brisbane).
Home Energy Emergency Assistance (HEEA) scheme
The HEEA scheme is a Queensland Government scheme designed to help people who are experiencing a crisis or unforeseen emergency that is limiting their ability to pay their home electricity or natural gas bill and are under threat of disconnection. Upon request, energy retailers will forward an application form to qualifying customers to complete and return in an accompanying reply paid envelope. For more information on the scheme, contact your electricity or gas retailer.
Drought relief
Regional Queensland farmers who are customers of Ergon Energy may seek relief from electricity charges if they are in a drought declared area or if their property is individually drought declared under Queensland Government administrative processes. For more information about eligibility and the application process, call Ergon Energy on 13 10 46.
No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS)
The No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) provides interest-free loans for individuals or families on low income. It's a community-based program that enables people to access fair, safe and equitable credit for the purchase of essential household items, for example a new hot water system or fridge to replace an old, inefficient one which is contributing to high energy bills. NILS is not for emergency relief, bond or rent money, living expenses or debt repayment.
The details, including how consumers can access the scheme, are at www.goodshepvic.org.au/microfinance. You can also download the NILS brochure which provides an overview of the scheme.
Free financial counselling
Financial counselling services help people who are in financial difficulty. They provide a free, independent and confidential service. They can help you manage a short-term crisis and plan to prevent a future one. Financial counsellors can help you remain independent and take full control of your own financial affairs.
Financial counsellors can:
To find a financial counsellor in your area, call the Financial Counselling Association of Queensland on (07) 3321 3192.
Save money on your energy bill
Many people tend to under estimate their energy usage and are unaware of the amount of energy their home/business applainces actually use. See Tips for saving on your energy bill for more information.
