This energy hardship program FAQ explains how retailer hardship assistance works, who may be eligible and what to do when energy bills become difficult to manage. It covers applications, payment plans, disconnection protections, concessions and practical steps for renters and homeowners. You will also learn how to check whether a tariff or billing problem is contributing to the pressure, and where to seek independent help if your retailer does not resolve the issue.
What is an energy hardship program
An energy hardship program is a support arrangement offered by an energy retailer to help residential customers who are having trouble paying their electricity or gas bills. The program may provide a more affordable payment plan, bill support, advice about reducing usage, referrals to concessions or other assistance, and additional contact before disconnection action is considered. Each retailer uses its own process, but hardship assistance should be more than simply delaying a payment without reviewing the customer’s circumstances.
Retailers commonly consider information such as household income, essential expenses, overdue amounts, medical needs, family responsibilities, changes in employment and whether the difficulty is temporary or ongoing. You do not necessarily need to be receiving a government payment to ask for help. A sudden rent increase, relationship breakdown, illness, family violence, reduced work hours or an unexpectedly high bill can all be relevant when explaining why the account has become unaffordable.
The most important first step is to contact the retailer and clearly say that you are experiencing payment difficulty and want to be assessed for its hardship program. Ask whether the retailer has a dedicated hardship team, what information it needs and whether collection or disconnection activity can be paused while your request is assessed. Keep the date, time, staff member’s name, reference number and any agreed follow-up action, because these records can be useful if the matter later goes to an ombudsman.
How to apply and what happens next
You can usually begin by contacting the retailer through its phone line, online account or hardship contact channel, although the fastest option may depend on the urgency of the situation. Explain whether the account is already overdue, whether a disconnection warning has been issued and whether anyone in the home relies on electricity for medical equipment or other essential needs. If you have difficulty communicating by phone, ask whether the retailer can provide an interpreter, accessible communication or a nominated support person.
The retailer may ask for a basic picture of your income and regular costs so it can propose a realistic arrangement. Prepare recent bills, account numbers, proof of relevant concessions, Centrelink information if applicable, rent or mortgage costs, and details of major unavoidable expenses. You do not need to agree to a payment amount that is plainly unaffordable; explain what you can sustainably pay and ask the retailer to consider the balance, future usage and any bill corrections rather than focusing only on the overdue amount.
A hardship assessment may result in a payment plan, a review of billing or meter data, energy efficiency advice, a concession check or referral to a financial counsellor. The proposed arrangement should make clear the instalment amount, payment frequency, review date, treatment of new bills and what happens if a payment is missed. Before accepting a plan, ask for the terms in writing and check that the arrangement covers expected ongoing usage; a plan that deals only with old debt can leave the account falling further behind.
If the retailer refuses assistance, does not respond, or offers a plan you cannot maintain, ask for the decision to be reviewed by a supervisor or hardship team. You can contact a free financial counsellor through the National Debt Helpline and, after attempting to resolve the issue with the retailer, consider your state or territory energy and water ombudsman. Keep copies of bills, emails and call notes, and do not ignore a notice simply because a hardship request is under review.
Disconnection protections and urgent situations
Energy disconnection rules are set by national and state or territory frameworks, and the protections can vary according to the customer’s circumstances and the reason for the proposed disconnection. Retailers generally have notice and contact obligations and must consider hardship information, but a warning should still be treated seriously. Contact the retailer as soon as possible rather than waiting until the proposed disconnection date, particularly if you have recently moved or the account is in another person’s name.
Tell the retailer promptly if the household includes a person who is medically dependent on electricity, a young child, an older person at risk, or someone whose safety may be affected by loss of supply. Ask what evidence is required and whether a medical practitioner, support worker or other authorised professional needs to provide information. If electricity is required for life-support equipment, have an emergency plan that does not rely on the retailer restoring power immediately, because technical faults and network outages can occur separately from billing issues.
If supply has already been disconnected, ask the retailer what steps are required for reconnection and whether a hardship assessment, payment arrangement or correction of the account can be completed urgently. Do not use unsafe alternatives such as indoor fuel-burning heaters, overloaded extension leads or improvised electrical connections. Safety and essential supply should be raised at the beginning of every contact with the retailer, not treated as a detail to add after discussing the debt.
A disconnection dispute may need help from the relevant energy ombudsman, especially where you believe notices were not provided, payments were misallocated, hardship information was overlooked or the account contains an error. The ombudsman’s role and available remedies differ between jurisdictions, so check the official service for your state or territory. If there is an immediate health or safety emergency, contact emergency services or the appropriate medical provider rather than relying only on a billing complaint.
Bills tariffs concessions and household changes
A hardship arrangement will be difficult to maintain if the underlying bill is wrong or the tariff does not suit the household. Compare the meter reading on the bill with the meter where safe to do so, check whether the bill is estimated, and look for unusually high daily usage or a recent tariff change. Ask the retailer to explain any adjustment, back-billing, solar export charge, late fee or separate supply charge that you do not understand before agreeing to repay the total.
Tariff choice can matter as much as payment timing. For example, a household searching for a time of use tariff Brisbane option should compare the retailer’s peak, shoulder and off-peak periods with when its appliances actually operate, rather than assuming a time-based plan is automatically cheaper. Ask for a comparison based on your historical usage, check whether rates vary by distribution zone and remember that controlled-load, solar feed-in and daily supply charges may alter the overall result.
Check whether you qualify for a state or territory energy concession, medical energy assistance, life-support subsidy or other household support. Eligibility, application methods and payment treatment vary, and Services Australia decides Centrelink payment eligibility and amounts based on individual circumstances; a retailer cannot approve those payments. Confirm current rules and exact amounts through servicesaustralia.gov.au or the relevant state government energy website before relying on an expected concession.
Moving house can create a second problem if the old account is not closed correctly or the new property is not connected under the right name. Record meter readings and the date of occupancy, provide a forwarding address, and ask for a final bill rather than assuming the account will close automatically. Renters should check their agreement and the applicable notice to vacate rules before arranging a move, because leaving without following the required process can create separate tenancy costs that make an energy repayment plan harder to maintain.
Reducing costs and getting independent help
Reducing usage can support a hardship plan, but it should not mean sacrificing health or basic living conditions. Start with low-cost checks such as sealing draughts, adjusting heating and cooling settings, washing in full loads, switching off unnecessary standby equipment and using efficient lighting. For larger changes, ask whether the retailer, state government or community organisation offers an energy audit, appliance advice or assistance with efficient equipment, and confirm any eligibility conditions before paying a contractor.
Look for non-energy expenses that may be increasing at the same time, but keep separate records for each problem. For instance, a blocked drain Perth household is dealing with is a plumbing matter requiring a quote and, where applicable, a licensed plumber in Western Australia; it should not be confused with an energy charge or folded into a retailer payment arrangement without explanation. Similarly, urgent repairs, rent changes and transport costs can help a financial counsellor build a realistic budget, even though the retailer will usually focus on the energy account.
A free financial counsellor can help review the full budget, contact creditors and identify government or community support. Community legal centres may assist with tenancy or family violence issues, while the energy ombudsman can investigate certain retailer disputes after you have tried to resolve them directly. Independent assistance is especially useful when there are several debts, multiple household accounts, language barriers, family violence concerns or uncertainty about whether a proposed payment plan is affordable.
When comparing a new retailer, do not focus only on a headline discount or sign-up credit. Check the underlying usage and supply rates, billing frequency, late-payment conditions, contract terms, concession treatment and whether the hardship team can manage existing debt. Solar households should also confirm current federal and state scheme information through energy.gov.au or the relevant government website, and use installers accredited by the Clean Energy Council where installation advice is required; a new system is not a guaranteed solution to immediate bill stress.
Key Takeaways
An energy hardship program is designed to help customers manage genuine payment difficulty, but it does not automatically cancel a debt or guarantee a particular discount. Contact the retailer early, use the words that you are experiencing hardship, and ask for an assessment rather than accepting repeated short extensions. Give accurate information about income, essential costs, medical needs and the amount you can realistically pay.
Before agreeing to a plan, check that it includes future usage as well as existing arrears, and ask for every condition in writing. Review the bill, meter reading, tariff and available concessions at the same time, because an incorrect bill or unsuitable plan can keep the account unaffordable. Confirm current government rules and rates through official sources, including Services Australia for Centrelink matters and the relevant energy department for concessions or scheme information.
If disconnection is threatened, respond immediately and explain any health, safety or vulnerability issues. Keep a record of all contact, seek a financial counsellor when the wider budget is under pressure, and use the relevant ombudsman if the retailer does not properly address the complaint. Early contact, written records and realistic payments are the practical foundations of managing an energy hardship issue safely.