This concession is currently calculated at the rate of 17.5% off energy usage and supply charges minus $0.08233 (GST incl) per day, and is applied after any Powerdirect discounts or solar credits. It doesn't apply to the first $171.60 of your electricity bill, and is capped at an amount of $472.78 (GST incl). It's available all year round.

Are you eligible?

You'll need the right kind of concession card (see above). Plus, a concession can only be claimed if:

• you are a resident of Victoria
• the electricity account is in the name of the concession cardholder
• the supply address is the domestic primary residence of the cardholder
• the electricity account is billed on a domestic tariff.

This concession is only available to those households that have a separately metered Controlled Load tariff for electric hot water or slab heating that operates during off-peak times. It provides a 13% reduction on the off-peak tariff rates on quarterly electricity bills for hot water and slab heating; and can be received in addition to the Annual Electricity Concession.

Are you eligible?

You'll need the right kind of concession card (see above). Plus, a concession can only be claimed if:

• you are a resident of Victoria
• the electricity account is in the name of the concession cardholder
• the supply address is the domestic primary residence of the cardholder
• the electricity account is billed on a domestic tariff.

For concession households with low electricity consumption, this rebate reduces the supply (or service) charge.

If the cost of electricity used is less than the supply (or service) charge, the supply charge is then reduced to the same price as the electricity usage costs.

Are you eligible?

You'll need the right kind of concession card (see above). Plus, a concession can only be claimed if:

• you are a resident of Victoria
• the electricity account is in the name of the concession cardholder
• the supply address is the domestic primary residence of the cardholder
• the electricity account is billed on a domestic tariff.

This provides a 17.5% discount off electricity costs for the six months between 1 November and 30 April each year if you or anyone in your household has a medical condition that prevents the body from regulating its own temperature.

If you are eligible for this concession, you will also receive the Annual Electricity Concession.

Are you eligible?

To receive this concession, either the account holder or another occupant in the household must have an inability to self-regulate body temperature. 

The account holder will need to be a Victorian resident and hold one of the concession cards listed above.

How to apply

To apply for this rebate, please complete the Medical Cooling Concession Form (accessible version here). On the form, the patient's doctor will need to verify that additional heating or cooling is required to regulate body temperature.

The pre-approved medical conditions are:

• Multiple Sclerosis
• Motor Neurone Disease
• Lymphoedema
• Parkinson's Disease
• Fibromyalgia
• Post-Polio Syndrome
• Poliomyelitis
  

If you have a pre-approved medical condition, send the completed form to:

Concession Administrator
Powerdirect Pty Ltd
Locked Bag 14120
MCMC Melbourne VIC 8001

If you have a medical condition which is not listed above, please send your completed form to:

Department of Human Services
Concessions Unit
GPO Box 4057
Melbourne VIC 3001

Applicable electricity transfer fees are waived for eligible concession card holders when there is a change of occupancy at a property.

Are you eligible?

You'll need the right kind of concession card (see above). Plus, a concession can only be claimed if:

• you are a resident of Victoria
• the electricity account is in the name of the concession cardholder
• the supply address is the domestic primary residence of the cardholder
• the electricity account is billed on a domestic tariff.

This provides additional financial support to customers who require the use of specific in home life support machines. The machine must use at least 1,880 kWh per year.

Are you eligible?

The account holder or another occupant in your household must need one of the following machines to sustain life:

• oxygen concentrator
• intermittent peritoneal dialysis machine
• haemodialysis machine.

You'll need to be a Victorian resident and hold one of the concession cards listed above.

How to apply

You will need to complete the Life Support Concession Application Form. Your doctor will need to sign this form, verifying the need for specific in-house life support equipment.

Please return completed forms to:

Powerdirect Life Support
Reply Paid 84146
Melbourne VIC 8001

Customers who have either a life support machine that is eligible for concession or any other type of machine prescribed by a doctor for life support purposes, should contact Powerdirect on 1300 307 966 to ensure their account is flagged as having life support equipment in use.

If you can't pay your utility bill due to a temporary financial crisis and are at risk of disconnection, you can apply for the URG scheme. This provides financial assistance to low-income households suffering a short-term financial crisis (within the last 12 months).

You can apply for this scheme once every two years for both gas and electricity.

Are you eligible?

You must be able to demonstrate that unexpected hardship has left you seriously short of money, that you can't pay your utility bills without assistance, and that you are at risk of disconnection. You must also meet one of the following criteria:

• a significant increase in usage
• a recent decrease in income, for example, loss of employment
• high unexpected expenses on essential items
• the cost of shelter is more than 30% of the household income
• the cost of utility usage is more than 10% of the household income.

You'll need to be a Victorian resident and hold one of the concession cards listed above. You will also need to ensure that:

• the energy account is in the name of the concession cardholder
• the supply address is the domestic primary residence of the cardholder
• the supply address is billed on a domestic tariff.

Special conditions for non-concession card households

You may still be eligible if you do not have a concession card listed above - you can apply for a URG if you are the account holder and you are on Powerdirect's hardship program. Your household income also needs to be no more than the equivalent to the Commonwealth maximum income rate for part age pensioners.