Tenants: Are you eligible for electricity subsidies?

26 November 2024

"WA tenants may be eligible for financial support to help with electricity costs through the Energy Concession Extension Scheme (ECES)."

WA tenants may be eligible for financial support to help with electricity costs through the Energy Concession Extension Scheme (ECES). Administered by RevenueWA, the scheme provides annual subsidies, including the Energy Assistance Payment (EAP), to households meeting specific criteria.

Here's what you need to know

Household electricity credit

Eligible households can receive a $700 electricity credit.

Already registered by 17 June 2024: If you were registered for ECES by this date, no action is required. The credit will be paid directly into your nominated bank account.
Eligible but not registered by 17 June 2024: Register by 30 November 2024 and submit a copy of your electricity invoice/s from 17 June 2024. Once registered, the credit will be processed.
Became eligible after 17 June 2024: You must apply separately to claim the credit.

General eligibility requirements

To qualify for the Energy Assistance Payment, you must:

Reside in a property where electricity costs are billed by a supplier other than Synergy, Horizon Power, BHP or Rio Tinto.
Hold an eligible concession card, such as a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card or Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card. A WA Seniors Card does not qualify.

Common examples of households with concession cards eligible for the EAP:

You are invoiced for your electricity costs direct from an energy company other than Synergy or Horizon Power, such as Perth Energy, WinConnect or Alinta Sales.
You reside in an apartment, retirement village or caravan park (as a long-stay resident) where management invoice you for your electricity costs.
You reside on a multi-dwelling lot such as a granny flat or dual key residence and your electricity costs are on-charged to you based on your proportionate use.
You reside in accommodation with shared facilities and you are charged a separate utility cost that includes your proportionate electricity use. The owner cannot also reside at the property.
In certain circumstances, you reside in a dwelling where you incur costs for generating your own electricity off-the-grid.

Note: If you are directly billed by Synergy, Horizon Power, BHP or Rio Tinto, please contact them to discuss your eligibility for concessions or rebates.

If you are a tenant, you must have been living there for at least three months or have a lease agreement for a minimum of three months. Electricity costs must be based on actual usage or reasonable estimates, not bundled or nominal charges.

For more information or to apply, visit the RevenueWA website.