Cost of Living Rebate for Households

2024–25 Cost of Living Rebate

Queensland households will get $1,000 off their electricity bills in 2024–25. The rebate will be automatically credited to eligible residential customer bills from 1 July 2024—there is no need to apply. Exact timing will depend on individual billing cycles.

Look for the ‘Queensland Government Cost of Living Rebate’ on your bill.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the rebate, residential customers must:

• have an electricity account with their electricity retailer or embedded network operator on 1 July 2024
• be separately metered and charged for their own electricity consumption.

The rebate is only available to:

• grid-connected customers
• customers in isolated communities where the electricity retailer is Ergon Energy.

Customers whose premises are not separately metered or who don't receive a separate electricity bill (e.g. where electricity is included as part of their rent) will not be eligible to receive the rebate payment.

Vulnerable households

Seniors, pensioners and concession card holders could get even more through the Queensland Electricity Rebate. If you don't already receive the $372 Queensland Electricity Rebate which is applied to bills on a quarterly basis, find out the requirements and if you are eligible.

Arrangements for households in embedded networks

Some households receive their electricity bills through authorised on-suppliers (embedded network operators), which include:

• landlords
• property managers
• caravan park owners
• body corporates.

These households are also eligible for the $1000 rebate, provided they meet the requirements.

Embedded network customers do not need to apply for the rebate. Your embedded network operator will lodge a claim with their retailer on your behalf using Form 541 from the Queensland Government concessions page.

Most embedded network customers should receive the rebate as a one-off lump sum credit on their electricity bill in the second half of 2024. However, it could take several months for the rebate to be applied and appear on your bill.

If you haven’t received the rebate by 31 December 2024, contact your embedded network operator directly.

If an eligible residential customer has an account with an embedded network operator on 1 July 2024, then moves out of that embedded network, they should still receive the rebate from that operator. The operator will use their best endeavours to ensure customers receive any outstanding credits when they close their account.

Card-operated meters

Households using card-operated electricity meters are also eligible for the rebate, which will be automatically transferred to their orange power cards (linked card).

Energy Bill Relief Fund extension

Households will also get an additional $300 off their electricity bills from the Australian Government under the Energy Bill Relief Fund extension.

From 1 July 2024, the rebate will be automatically credited by retailers to most eligible residential customer bills in quarterly instalments ($75 per quarter) throughout 2024–25.

Eligible embedded network customers will receive the $300 rebate as a lump sum credit. Customers don't need to apply. Your embedded network operator will lodge a claim with their retailer on your behalf using Form 538 from the Queensland Government concessions page.

Households using card-operated electricity meters will have the rebate transferred to their orange power cards (linked card).

Look for the 'Australian Government Energy Price Relief Plan Rebate' or similar on your bill.

More information is available on the Australian Government web page.