Help paying your electricity and gas bill during financial hardship
Are you having difficulty paying your household electricity or natural gas bills because of a short-term financial hardship, crisis or emergency?
If you are facing:
- loss of income
- unexpected medical costs
- natural disaster (bushfire, drought or flood)
- disconnection from your energy retailer
you could be eligible for a one-off payment to help pay your electricity or natural gas bill.
You may also be eligible for other energy rebates. Check here to find out if you are eligible for any other energy rebates.
Contact your energy retailer as soon as you think you might have trouble paying an energy bill to keep your electricity and natural gas connected. All energy retailers in NSW have programs to help customers facing financial hardship, like payment extensions or payment plans.
If you can't work it out with your retailer, make an appointment for an EAPA assessment and let your retailer know.
By law, your retailer is not allowed to disconnect you if they know you have an appointment booked for an EAPA assessment.
Eligibility
To be eligible for EAPA you must:
- live in NSW
- have an electricity or natural gas account for your home in NSW
- be the account holder (the account and bill must be in your name)
- not have paid your most recent bill and the account is still open
- be experiencing a short-term financial hardship, crisis or emergency and unable to pay your most recent energy bill.
You are not eligible for EAPA if:
- you live in an embedded network which includes some strata plans, retirement villages or residential parks (if you’re unsure if you live in an embedded network, contact the energy seller named on your electricity bill)
- you receive your gas supply through liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bottles (you may be eligible for the Gas Rebate instead)
- the bill you need help for:
- has already been paid in full, or less than $50 is owing on the bill
- is for a business account or non-residential account
- is for a previous home or a different energy retailer to the one you are with now
- is from an energy retailer that is not registered for EAPA
- you are not the account holder or you do not have authority to act on someone else's behalf.
How to apply
You can apply online at Service NSW or in person or over the phone with an approved non-government EAPA provider.
Apply online
You can apply online on the Service NSW website.
After you receive a confirmation email, let your energy retailer know. By law, your retailer is not allowed to disconnect you if they know you have an appointment booked for an EAPA assessment.
Apply in person or over the phone
You can apply in person or over the phone to be assessed by an approved non-government EAPA provider.
Contacting a non-government EAPA provider may be more suitable if you:
- prefer an in-person assessment (offered by some providers)
- do not have an email address
- need other support, such as no-interest loans, financial counselling, and clothing or food assistance.
After you have booked an assessment, let your energy retailer know. By law, your retailer is not allowed to disconnect you if they know you have an appointment booked for an EAPA assessment.
Download list of EAPA providers
Become an EAPA provider
If your organisation would like to become an EAPA provider, please complete the form below.