Start with your retailer, not the bill. Every energy company selling to NSW homes must have a hardship program, and you cannot be disconnected while you're on a payment plan and keeping to it. From there, EAPA crisis credits, the rebates, and the ombudsman each add another layer — this page walks the exact order.
Last checked: against NSW Government, AER and EWON sources. Free and independent — no sign-up, nothing stored.
Facing disconnection right now?
The protection to remember: you cannot be disconnected while you're on a payment plan, in a hardship program, have an EAPA assessment booked, or have an open complaint about the amount.
One phone call starts everything. Every energy retailer selling to NSW households must have a hardship program that supports customers in payment difficulty — and under the national energy rules, disconnection is only ever meant to be a last resort. You don't need special words — just say you're having trouble paying. Your retailer may ask for some details as part of setting up help, but the conversation starts with a phone call.
“I'm having difficulty paying my bill — I'd like to talk about payment options.”
If the first offer isn't affordable: “I'd like to speak to your hardship (affordability) team.”
Don't agree to a plan you can't afford — the plan must consider what you can actually pay, and you're entitled to ask for at least two payment plans in a 12-month period. Making irregular payments without an agreed plan does not protect you from disconnection.
Hardship programs can include flexible payment plans, Centrepay deductions from a Centrelink payment, waived late fees, a check that you're on the retailer's best plan for you, and energy-efficiency help. You can also compare every plan on the market yourself with Energy Made Easy, the government's free comparison site. If family violence is part of your situation, retailers are not allowed to demand documentary evidence, and must keep your details safe.
| Retailer | Program | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| AGL | Staying Connected | 131 245 |
| Origin | Power On | 13 24 61 |
| EnergyAustralia | EnergyAssist | 1800 558 643 |
| Red Energy | Customer Care Program | 1800 723 749 |
| Alinta Energy | Alinta Assist | 1300 282 613 |
With your permission, a financial counsellor or support person can make this call for you — every one of these programs allows it. And if you'd rather put it in writing, our free Hardship Helper writes a clear, professional hardship letter for you.
EAPA (Energy Accounts Payment Assistance) pays up to $400 per fuel — electricity and gas — per application, up to twice per fuel each financial year, straight onto your energy account. You don't need a concession card and you don't need to be on Centrelink. It exists for exactly this situation: a short-term crisis — lost income, unexpected medical costs, a disaster, a disconnection notice — and your most recent bill unpaid.
| Path | Online via Service NSW | Community organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Where | service.nsw.gov.au, or phone 13 77 88 | One of 221 approved organisations across NSW — map and list on energy.nsw.gov.au |
| Speed | Several weeks' wait for the assessment phone call — government pages quote between 2 and 6 weeks | Assessed on the spot at a booked appointment; credit usually reaches the retailer within about 5 business days of approval |
| Best for | Not urgent, comfortable online | Facing disconnection, no email, prefer face-to-face, or want help with more than one thing at once |
When a community organisation “helps you apply”, that undersells it: they are accredited assessors who decide on the spot and lodge the application directly — and the same appointment can often connect you with no-interest loans, food relief, and free financial counselling.
If disconnection is looming, book the appointment first.
By law, your energy provider is not allowed to disconnect you if they know you have an appointment booked for an EAPA assessment. Book with a community organisation (it's the faster path), then tell your retailer straight away.
NSW energy rebates are worth hundreds of dollars a year, and they're worth checking even if you've never claimed before. Most are claimed through your retailer with one phone call. If you live in an embedded network (your building bills you), you claim through Service NSW instead — 2026–27 embedded applications open 10 August 2026. Amounts below are the published 2026–27 figures.
| Rebate | Worth | Concession card? | How to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low Income Household Rebate | Up to $285 a year ($313.50 in an embedded network) | Yes — Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, Low Income Health Care Card, or Veteran Gold Card | Call your electricity retailer with your card details |
| Gas Rebate | Up to $110 a year ($121 embedded) | Yes — same four cards | Through your gas retailer; LPG bottled gas via Service NSW (opens 10 Aug 2026) |
| Seniors Energy Rebate | $200 a year | Yes — Commonwealth Seniors Health Card | Service NSW — 2026–27 applications open 10 Aug 2026. Can't be combined with the Low Income Household Rebate |
| Family Energy Rebate | Up to $180 a year ($198 embedded); drops to $20 ($22 embedded) if you also get the Low Income Household Rebate | No — based on receiving Family Tax Benefit last financial year | Service NSW — the 2026–27 round opens in August 2026 |
| Medical Energy Rebate | Up to $285 a year ($313.50 embedded) | Yes — same four cards, plus a doctor's assessment (inability to self-regulate body temperature) | Form through your electricity retailer |
| Life Support Rebate | Depends on the equipment you run | No — based on approved equipment at home (e.g. home dialysis, ventilator, oxygen concentrator), certified by your doctor | Form to your retailer; embedded networks via Service NSW from 10 Aug 2026 |
Two things worth knowing. First, the national Energy Bill Relief credits that used to appear automatically on bills have ended — the final instalment was applied in December 2025, and there is no 2026–27 program, so don't budget around it. Second, EAPA (step 2) is the one scheme on this page that needs no concession card at all. To check everything you're eligible for in one pass, use the Energy Savings Finder on Service NSW.
The Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON) is the free, independent umpire that covers every NSW electricity and gas retailer — membership is compulsory for them. Call 1800 246 545 (Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, interpreter on 131 450), or lodge online any time. If you've been disconnected or are at risk, EWON says to call immediately.
What happens next: EWON usually refers your complaint to the retailer's specialist dispute team first — that team must contact you within 5 business days and has up to 28 days to investigate. If it isn't resolved, EWON investigates itself; most investigations resolve within 45 days, and the Ombudsman can make a decision that is binding on the retailer if you accept it — you keep the choice.
Useful side-effect: a formal complaint about the amount you owe — with the retailer or with EWON — puts a hold on disconnection while it's open.
Only as a last resort — and never for a debt under $500 that you've agreed to repay. From 1 July 2026, the minimum debt for disconnection rose from $300 to $500 (including GST) for both electricity and gas. The condition matters: the protection applies where you've agreed with your retailer to repay the amount, so say yes to a repayment arrangement.
Before disconnecting, your retailer must send a reminder notice, then a disconnection warning notice no earlier than 6 business days later, then make reasonable attempts to contact you and offer payment options. The warning notice has to state the reason, the deadline, how reconnection works and what it costs, and EWON's contact details. If any of that didn't happen, tell EWON.
Contact your retailer straight away — they may ask for a payment and/or a payment plan, and reconnection is quick once it's agreed. Electricity reconnection requested before 3pm happens the same day or by 5pm the next business day; after 3pm, within two full business days. Gas can take up to 5 business days. Homes with smart meters can often be reconnected remotely, which is faster.
Fees can apply. If the amount the retailer is demanding before reconnection is unaffordable, call EWON on 1800 246 545 — an unaffordable reconnection demand is exactly the kind of thing they take up.
Financial counsellors generally treat the bills that protect your home and essential services — rent or mortgage, then energy — as the priority, ahead of credit cards and personal loans, which have their own hardship processes. Energy's protections are unusually strong: one phone call puts a hold on disconnection while you deal with everything else. A free financial counsellor on 1800 007 007 can help you work out an order for your situation.
Need emergency money for more than the power bill? Our emergency money guide covers crisis payments and charity relief, and our energy rights page summarises the protections state by state.
Last checked: . This guide is general information, not financial or legal advice. Scheme amounts and rules change — always confirm with the source before relying on a figure. For help with your specific situation, call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 (free, confidential).
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