Energy bill relief for 200,000 more South Australian households

More households will get energy bill relief after retailers start applying concessions from Friday. Find out who gets the rebates.

Another 200,000 South Australian households will get energy bill relief after retailers start applying budget concessions to those getting family tax benefits.

Rebates of $500, paid in quarterly amounts of $125, will start kicking in from Friday, as first detailed in May’s federal budget.

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan also has ironed out concession issues for small businesses on embedded networks, such as those in shopping centres, announcing they will also get a $650 rebate.

Energy bill concessions for about 420,000 South Australian households and 86,000 small businesses were revealed in the federal budget, with the rebate applied directly by retailers and spread evenly across quarterly bills.

People qualify for the $254.4m, joint state-federal scheme if they have a government concession card or receive family tax benefits, which begin to cut out at total household incomes of just over $100,000.

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Friday marks the first eligibility of family tax benefits, along with people getting a carer allowance and some holders of Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) cards not currently eligible for the existing energy concession.

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said the milestone significantly expanded the number of South Australians getting energy bill relief.

“It means a record number of households won’t have to dig as deep during what is already a tough economic climate,” he said

“We have targeted our funding to where it’s needed most, and eligible South Australians will certainly notice the difference when their next bill arrives.

“The Malinauskas Government recognises that small businesses on embedded networks are experiencing the same difficulties with energy costs as other small businesses that are individually metered which is why we are also extending energy bill relief to these businesses.”

The one-off relief on 2023-24 energy bills is in addition to an existing state energy concession worth up to $263.15 in 2023-24.

These 210,000 households will automatically qualify, meaning the combined payment will be up to $763.15.

Residential electricity prices are expected to increase by about $439 in 2023-24, according to the default market offer prices final determination from the Australian

Energy Regulator.

The state government predicts eligible households will see energy bills drop about 3.3 per cent in 2023-24, or about 5.2 per cent if they also get the SA concession.

Mr Mullighan said Business SA had raised concerns that some firms would miss out on concessions because they did not have their own meter and bill from an energy retailer, but instead received this directly from a landlord.

The government is in talks with other states and the federal government about how to roll out the administration of the business concession.

The SA government estimates thousands of businesses will benefit from this concession.