Energy Bill Relief Fund 2026: Ended, and What's Left

The Energy Bill Relief Fund Ended on 31 December 2025

There's no federal energy bill rebate in 2026. The energy.gov.au Energy Bill Relief Fund page (opens in a new tab) opens with one line: the fund "ended on 31 December 2025". It ran in 3 stages, and each one worked differently:

Source: energy.gov.au, Table 1 "EBRF programs", and Budget Paper No. 3 2025-26, read 31 October 2026.

It wasn't renewed in 2026. Grantsights checked the 2026-27 Budget Paper No. 2 (opens in a new tab), released on 12 May 2026, and found no Energy Bill Relief measure in it. Budget Paper No. 3 (opens in a new tab) for 2026-27 lists Energy Bill Relief payments to the states of $1,733 million in 2025-26 and nothing in 2026-27 or any later year. The Budget's cost of living chapter points to tax cuts instead: a Working Australians Tax Offset of up to $250 from 2027-28 and a cut in the 16% tax rate to 15% from 1 July 2026.

Who it covered. Every household that got an electricity bill and was connected to the grid was eligible for the 2024-25 and 2025 rounds, including households in the external territories. Households in embedded networks, such as apartment buildings, caravan parks and retirement villages where the strata, landlord or park owner bills you, were eligible too, but usually had to apply through their state. Renters with electricity included in the rent weren't eligible, because the federal FAQ requires you to be "separately metered and charged". The FAQ also excluded off-grid homes, though Western Australia and the Northern Territory let households that weren't connected to the grid apply.

Small businesses qualified if they met their state's definition of a small electricity customer, which ranged from under 40 MWh a year in Victoria to under 160 MWh in South Australia and the Northern Territory. A business run from a home on a residential electricity plan couldn't get the small business credit, according to the federal small business FAQ.

How the Rebate Was Paid, and Why Some People Missed Out

For most households the rebate was automatic, because it was paid through retailers, not to people. According to the federal household FAQ, retailers credited every account that was active on set census dates. For the 2025 extension, those dates were 31 July and 1 October 2025 in New South Wales and the ACT; 1 July and 1 October 2025 in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory; and a single date, 30 September 2025, in Western Australia.

That design explains most missing rebates:

• No active account on the census date. If you moved house and the new account started after the census date, you missed that quarter's $75. The FAQ says changing retailer didn't cost you the credit as long as an account existed on the date.
• One rebate per account, not per home. The FAQ says a customer with several properties on one account got only 1 rebate.
• Embedded network residents had to apply. These customers were paid a one-off amount through a state process, and some states set cut-off dates. Western Australia's closed on 31 March 2026; the Northern Territory's on 31 December 2025.
• No separate electricity bill, no rebate. Renters whose rent included power, and households without a formal electricity invoice, weren't eligible.

Western Australia did it differently. Synergy and Horizon Power customers had the $150 credit applied on 11 October 2025. According to a WA Government media statement of 18 March 2026, RevenueWA had paid more than $2.1 million to 14,347 households that weren't direct Synergy or Horizon Power customers. WA's scheme also covered homes that weren't connected to the grid, which the national rules otherwise excluded. In WA the credit was an offset, so the FAQ says no refund was available if you closed your account.

Can you still claim a missed rebate? In most cases, no. The application windows Grantsights checked have all closed: Western Australia's on 31 March 2026, the Northern Territory's on 31 December 2025, and New South Wales' national energy bill relief page now says the program "has now closed". If you had an active retail account on the census dates and the credit never appeared on a bill, ask your retailer to check. The federal FAQ says unresolved problems go to the regulator or energy ombudsman in your state.

What the Energy Bill Relief Fund Paid, State by State

Grantsights analysis of the Commonwealth's Final Budget Outcome reports for 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 found the fund paid the states and territories $6.45 billion across 3 years, to reimburse the rebates they passed on. Here's where the money went:

Data: Commonwealth of Australia, Final Budget Outcome 2023-24 (September 2024), 2024-25 (September 2025) and 2025-26 (September 2026), Part 3 tables of payments for specific purposes to support state environment, energy and water services, actual payments. Downloaded 31 October 2026 from the Budget archive (opens in a new tab). Figures are Commonwealth reimbursements to state governments, not individual rebates, and 2023-24 amounts were subject to final reconciliation. State totals may not add exactly because of rounding.

Four findings stand out:

The 2024-25 round came in under budget. Budget Paper No. 3 for 2025-26 estimated $3,545.7 million for 2024-25. The Final Budget Outcome shows $3,445.5 million actually paid, about $100 million less. The 2024-25 Final Budget Outcome put part of a $0.8 billion downward adjustment in the Climate Change program down to "lower demand and the timing of claims from the states" for Energy Bill Relief payments. Most of the gap was in one state. For example, NSW received $1,041.2 million against $1,117.1 million estimated, $75.9 million short and about three-quarters of the national shortfall, while Queensland was paid $9.1 million more than estimated.

The 2025 extension cost less than half of 2024-25. It paid $1,671.9 million, against $1,774.8 million estimated in May 2025 and $1,732.9 million estimated in May 2026. That fits a credit of $150 instead of $300. New South Wales' 2025-26 payment was 44.5% of its 2024-25 figure, while every other state's was between 49% and 52%. The Budget papers don't explain the difference.

The 2023-24 round was much smaller in some states. In the targeted 2023-24 round, Western Australia got only $87.7 million and the ACT $8.1 million, because the money went only to concession and Family Tax Benefit households. Once the rebate went universal in 2024-25, Western Australia's payment more than quadrupled to $367.8 million.

The end of the rebate shows up in prices. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the monthly Consumer Price Index for September 2026, released on 28 October 2026, showed electricity costs up 12.8% over 12 months, a rise the ABS says "is largely due to the ending of Commonwealth electricity rebates over the year". Budget Paper No. 3 for 2025-26 says the $3.5 billion 2024-25 round went to over 10 million households and around 1 million small businesses, so the loss was felt widely.

Electricity Rebates and Concessions You Can Still Claim

State and territory concessions didn't end with the federal fund, and they're often worth more than the $150 was. The federal household FAQ confirmed you could get both at once, and the states now carry the load on their own. These figures come from each state's page, read on 31 October 2026:

Sources: Energy NSW Low Income Household Rebate (opens in a new tab) (updated 22 September 2026), Seniors Energy Rebate (opens in a new tab) and Family Energy Rebate (opens in a new tab); Victoria DFFH Annual electricity concession (opens in a new tab); Queensland electricity and gas rebates (opens in a new tab) (updated 10 July 2026); WA Energy Concession Extension Scheme (opens in a new tab) (updated 27 October 2026); SA energy bill concessions (opens in a new tab) (updated 26 August 2026); Tasmania State Revenue Office annual electricity concession (opens in a new tab); ACT Electricity, Gas and Water Rebate (opens in a new tab). We couldn't find a current NT dollar amount on nt.gov.au, so it's left blank.

A few details matter more than the headline amounts:

• The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card works in some states and not others. It's the basis for New South Wales' $200 Seniors Energy Rebate and counts in Western Australia, but Queensland says it isn't eligible for its Electricity Rebate and the ACT says the same for its $800 rebate.
• Victoria's concession shrinks on big bills. If your electricity bill tops $4,038.82 in a year, starting 1 December 2025, you need to apply for the Excess Electricity Concession to keep getting a discount.
• You can ask for backdating. Victoria's energy department tells concession holders who missed out to give their card number to the retailer and ask it to backdate the concession for up to 12 months.
• Hardship help is separate. New South Wales' Energy Accounts Payment Assistance, Queensland's Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme and South Australia's emergency electricity payment help with a bill you can't pay. Victoria's Energy Assistance Program offers free one-on-one help on 1800 161 215.
• Expect a wait in NSW. Energy NSW says embedded network applications are taking 6 to 8 weeks to process.

Queensland's $1,000 was a one-off. Queensland added its own $1,000 credit to every household's bill in 2024-25, announced in a ministerial statement on 2 May 2024, with $1,372 for eligible seniors, pensioners and concession card holders. It was paid in 2024-25 and isn't repeated: the Queensland energy concessions page on 31 October 2026 lists only the ongoing Electricity Rebate, the gas rebate and the emergency assistance scheme.

Small Businesses After the Rebate

Small businesses lost up to $325 a year in 2024-25 and $150 in late 2025, and there's no federal replacement. The 2025 extension used the same state consumption thresholds as before: under 100 MWh a year in New South Wales, Queensland and the ACT; 40 MWh in Victoria; 50 MWh in Western Australia; 150 MWh in Tasmania; and 160 MWh in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

What's left is mostly about lowering the bill rather than a rebate. Compare offers on the Australian Energy Regulator's Energy Made Easy site, or Victorian Energy Compare in Victoria, and ask your retailer about its small business hardship program before a bill goes overdue. If you're weighing a solar or battery install to cut costs, our solar battery rebate guide covers the federal discount and the state top-ups, and business owners looking for grant money can start with our guides to small business grants in Queensland and small business grants in NSW.

What energy.gov.au Doesn't Tell You

Grantsights compared the federal page with the Budget papers, the ABS and 8 state and territory sites, and 5 things stand out.

The fund page doesn't say it won't come back. It says the fund ended, but not that the next Budget passed on it. The 2026-27 Budget papers settle that: there's no Energy Bill Relief line from 2026-27 onwards. Any future rebate would need a new announcement, so treat any post or caller promising "the next $150" with suspicion.

Your bill rose because the credit stopped, not only because prices did. The ABS links most of the 12.8% annual rise in electricity costs to rebates ending. Before you assume your retailer put up prices, compare a 2026 bill with a 2025 bill and look for the missing "Energy Bill Relief" credit line. If your usage hasn't changed, shopping around is still worth doing, but the rebate gap won't close.

A common mistake is never claiming the state concession, and it's the best bet for most card holders now. The federal credit was automatic, so many households never learned they also had a concession to claim. State concessions aren't automatic: your retailer needs your card details. If you hold a Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card and your bill shows no concession line, you've probably missed out on $285 to $800 a year depending on your state.

Embedded network residents underestimate what they're owed. The people most likely to miss the federal credit, apartment, caravan park and retirement village residents, are also the ones who must apply separately for state concessions. In New South Wales they get a higher rate ($313.50 rather than $285 for the Low Income Household Rebate), and in Tasmania a $673 one-off payment, but only if they apply.

Concession card rules differ by state. Moving interstate can change what you're entitled to, as the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card example shows. Re-check eligibility on your new state's page after a move.

Scams and Cold Calls About Energy Rebates

Rebate scams follow every rebate announcement, and the end of the fund is a new hook. Scamwatch says in its warning about green scheme scammers that "Australian Government departments will never phone or email you asking you to pay upfront amounts in order to claim a rebate". The Australian Energy Regulator has warned of callers pretending to be AER staff and asking for bank details to deposit a power rebate, and it says it doesn't offer rebates at all.

Red flags to watch for:

• Anyone asking for a fee, your bank details or your card number to release a rebate. The federal credit went onto your bill; it was never paid to a bank account outside the WA, NT and embedded network application processes.
• A caller claiming a "new 2026 energy rebate" from the federal government. There isn't one.
• Pressure to sign up for solar, batteries or a new plan to "lock in" a rebate before a deadline. Real state concessions don't expire because you didn't buy something.
• Links in texts or emails to claim relief. State concessions are claimed through your retailer or a .gov.au site you find yourself.

If you're contacted, hang up and call your retailer on the number printed on your bill. Report scams to Scamwatch (opens in a new tab), and if you've shared bank details, call your bank straight away. Grantsights will never call, text or email you about a rebate.

How to Get Help With Your Electricity Bill Now

Here's what to do, in order, if your bill went up after December 2025:

1. Check you've got your state concession. Look for a concession line on your latest bill. If it isn't there, call your retailer with your card number, or apply through your state if you're in an embedded network.
2. Compare your plan. Use Energy Made Easy, or Victorian Energy Compare in Victoria. Victoria's energy department says its Midday Power Saver, available to households from 1 October 2026, gives 3 hours of no-cost electricity a day between 11am and 2pm.
3. Ask for a payment plan early. Every retailer has a hardship program, and in Victoria the Payment Difficulty Framework requires retailers to tell you what help is available and to treat disconnection as a last resort.
4. Apply for emergency help if you're behind. New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria all run emergency or hardship payments for people facing disconnection.
5. Cut usage for the long term. Victoria's Solar Homes program still offers a solar panel rebate of up to $1,400, and the federal battery discount is covered in our solar battery rebate guide.

If you're also buying your first home, the state grants in our First Home Owner Grant guide are a separate scheme with their own rules, and they're still running.

Sources Checked

All sources were read or downloaded on 31 October 2026:

• energy.gov.au, Energy Bill Relief Fund (opens in a new tab), with its household FAQs (opens in a new tab) and small business FAQs (opens in a new tab) (both last updated 20 August 2025)
• Commonwealth Budget 2026-27, Budget Paper No. 2 (opens in a new tab), Budget Paper No. 3 (opens in a new tab) and the cost of living overview (opens in a new tab), 12 May 2026
• Commonwealth Budget archive (opens in a new tab): Budget Paper No. 3 2025-26 and the Final Budget Outcome 2025-26; Final Budget Outcomes for 2024-25 (opens in a new tab) and 2023-24 (opens in a new tab)
• Australian Bureau of Statistics, Consumer Price Index, Australia, September 2026 (opens in a new tab), released 28 October 2026
• Government of Western Australia, media statement of 18 March 2026 (opens in a new tab) on the Household Electricity Credit
• Northern Territory Government, Energy bill relief for households (opens in a new tab)
• Energy NSW, National Energy Bill Relief (opens in a new tab) (updated 1 July 2026)
• Victorian Government, Help paying your energy bills (opens in a new tab) (updated 20 August 2026)
• Queensland Government, Miles government delivers $1,000 for Queensland households (opens in a new tab), 2 May 2024, and energy concessions (opens in a new tab)
• State concession pages listed under the concessions table above
• Scamwatch, Beware of green scheme scammers (opens in a new tab); Australian Energy Regulator, AER scam warning (opens in a new tab)