Depending on the circumstances, there are a few options that may help a client who is having difficulty paying energy bills. These include:
- Payment plans
- Concessions
- Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme
- Retailer hardship programs
Information about other forms of assistance in addition to those discussed below is available from the Energy Ombudsman Queensland [6] website.
Payment Plans
The Queensland Electricity Industry Code requires retailers to offer instalment plans to customers who inform them that they are experiencing payment difficulties.
When negotiating instalment plans, retailers are required to take into account information they are given regarding the customer’s capacity to pay and usage needs. The retailer must also specify the period of the plan, the number and amount of instalments, and how the amount of instalments is calculated. The Electricity Industry Code also requires that the number of instalments is not less than four, unless the customer agrees otherwise. The amount of the instalments should cover arrears and estimated usage during the period of the instalment plans.
Where appropriate, when a retailer becomes aware that a customer is experiencing payment difficulties, it must also provide information on the right to have the bill redirected to a third person, independent financial counselling and other relevant services, concessions, grants or rebates that may be available, and to the extent available, how to arrange for an electricity audit.
The exception to the requirement to offer an instalment plan is where a customer has had two instalment plans cancelled due to non-payment in the previous 12 months.
Concessions
The Queensland Government offers an Electricity Rebate or a Reticulated Natural Gas Rebate to electricity or gas customers who hold a current Queensland Seniors Card or Pensioner Concession Card, or who hold a Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card and receive either a War Widow or Special Rate TPI Pension. The rebates are calculated as an amount per day credited to electricity or gas bills.
Customers receiving the Electricity Rebate should also receive an automatic exemption from the Community Ambulance Cover levy.
Eligible customers can apply for the Electricity Rebate or Reticulated Natural Gas Rebate through their retailer by completing an application form either in writing or by phone. Recipients of either rebate who change suppliers need to advise their new supplier that they are eligible for the rebate.
Some customers with special medical needs may be eligible for additional concessions. From 1 July 2010 the Medical Cooling and Heating Electricity Concession Scheme will provide assistance to concession card holders who have a qualifying medical condition requiring the use of an air conditioner for cooling or heating, or who are the parent or legal guardian of a person with a qualifying medical condition. The concession will be paid quarterly to eligible applicants. To allow applicants to obtain the necessary medical certification during their regular appointment schedule, the concession can be back-paid to 1 July 2010 for applicants with a previously diagnosed medical condition who apply before 30 June 2011. For more information about the Medical Cooling and Heating Electricity Concession Scheme, contact Smart Service Queensland on 13 74 68. An information brochure and application form can also be downloaded from the Department of Communities [7] website.
The Queensland Government also offers an Electricity Life Support Concession to users of oxygen concentrators who hold eligible concession cards, or kidney dialysis machines. The machines must have been supplied by Queensland Health for the user to be eligible for the concession. Application forms are sent to eligible users within 14 working days of receiving their machines.
Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme
The Home Energy Emergency Assistance (HEEA) Scheme is available as a one-off payment to concession card holders, customers with a base income no more than the Commonwealth maximum income rate for part age pensioners, or customers registered on their retailer’s hardship program or payment plan, who are experiencing a short term financial crisis, and are unable to pay their electricity or gas bill.
To receive assistance, applicants must show that one of the following has occurred in the last 12 months:
- The cost of shelter has become more than 30% of household income
- The cost of energy has become more than 10% of household income
- High unavoidable and/or unexpected expenses (note that usual, ongoing or voluntary expenses are not covered)
- Substantial decrease in household income
- Another reason preventing the customer from being able to pay their energy account, such as a natural disaster. This is assessed on a case by case basis.
The customer’s arrears must also be at least $100 for assistance to be provided.
A payment of up to $720 is available once in 12 months, although special cases where the cap is not sufficient will be considered on merit. Assistance may only be provided under the scheme for two consecutive years.
Customers need to contact their retailer to apply for HEEA, but agencies can assist their clients with applications. All collection or disconnection action on the account must be stopped while a HEEA claim is being processed.
For further information about HEEA, contact your energy retailer.
Some agencies have been reporting difficulties in obtaining HEEA forms from their clients’ retailers. If this occurs, ask to speak to the retailer’s hardship program team. If the retailer doesn’t have a dedicated hardship team, ask to speak to a call centre supervisor.
If you think your client is eligible for HEEA and have difficulties obtaining an application form for them, you should also contact Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS) on 07 3004 6900. QCOSS is funded by the Queensland government to provide systemic advocacy on behalf of residential electricity customers, particularly low income or vulnerable consumers.
Hardship programs
Many retailers offer hardship programs, providing individualised support based on the customer’s circumstances, over and above their requirements to offer a payment plan. Depending on the retailer, hardship programs may include energy audits, incentive payment plans, and assistance with retrofitting. Currently, however, retailers are not required to provide hardship programs in Queensland.
For more information about hardship programs, see the links below, or contact your client’s or your energy retailer.
Origin Energy – Power On Program [8]
Ergon Energy – Keeping Customers Connected program [10]
Integral Energy – Inpower program [11]
Energy Australia – EnergyAssist
[12]
PowerDirect – call the customer enquiries line on 1300 307 966
Lumo Energy - Energy Account Support and Enquiries (EASE) team [13]
Click Energy - call the customer service line on 1800 775 929
TRUenergy hardship policy [14]
Australian Power and Gas – Energy Support Program [15]
Note: Due to differences between states in the availability of concessions and other programs, and in regulatory requirements, some elements of retailers’ hardship programs may not be available in Queensland.