Energy Bill Relief Fund

The Energy Bill Relief Fund is a direct energy bill rebate provided by the Australian Government.

Extension of 2024-25 Energy Bill Relief for households and small businesses

The Commonwealth Government has announced a $1.8 billion extension of the Energy Bill Relief Fund.

Australian households and eligible small businesses with electricity bills may receive up to $150 in energy bill rebates from 1 July 2025 to the end of 2025.

Rebates will be automatically applied to your electricity bill in two $75 quarterly instalments. Most customers do not need to take any action to receive the rebates.

This is on top of the existing $3.5 billion energy bill relief being rolled out in the 2024–25 financial year. Under the 2024-25 program, households are eligible for up to $300 of energy bill relief, and eligible small businesses may receive up to $325.

Households

Victorian households may receive additional rebates of up to $150 applied to their electricity bills in two instalments of $75 from 1 July 2025.

To access the energy bill relief rebate, households must:

• hold an active electricity account with an energy retailer for their place of residence
• use their electricity account for domestic use only. Commercial properties are not eligible to receive the household bill relief

The first $75 instalments commenced in August 2024, further credits will be applied from the below dates:

• 1 October 2024
• 13 January 2025
• 1 April 2025
• 1 July 2025 (energy bill relief extension)
• 1 October 2025 (energy bill relief extension)

Most households will have their rebates applied automatically from their electricity retailer and will not be required to take any action.

Households in embedded networks

Customers in embedded networks such as a caravan park, residential community, retirement village or apartment building can apply for the payment on Victorian Energy Compare.

As part of the energy bill relief extension, embedded network customers may receive an additional payment of $150 from 1 July 2025. Further guidance will be provided on how to access the payment once details are known.

Embedded network customers of Origin, WinConnect and Momentum will have their bill relief automatically applied via their retailer.

Small businesses

As part of the energy bill relief extension, eligible Victorian small businesses may receive an additional rebate of $150 applied to their electricity bill from 1 July 2025.

To access the energy bill relief rebate, small businesses must have:

• an active ABN as listed on the Australian Business Register
• a separately metered business tariff
• an annual electricity consumption below 40 MWh.

Rebates commenced in August 2024, most Victorian small businesses will have their rebate applied automatically from their electricity retailer and will not be required to take any action.

Small businesses in embedded networks

Small businesses in embedded networks, such as shopping centres and apartment buildings can apply for the one-off payment on Victorian Energy Compare.

Embedded network customers of Origin, WinConnect and Momentum will have their bill relief automatically applied via their retailer.

As part of the energy bill relief extension, embedded network customers may receive an additional payment of $150 from 1 July 2025. Further guidance will be provided on how to access the payment once details are known.

(source: Victoria State Government, Energy Bill Relief Fund)