Step 4: Get help with payment difficulty
This information is for Victorian households. If you live in another state, support and protections may be different.
Managing energy bills can feel stressful, especially if you’re worried about keeping up with payments. The good news is that every energy customer in Victoria has the right to support from their energy company.
Help is just a call away.
Energy companies are required by law to help anyone having payment difficulty, and knowing your options is a positive first step.
Even a short conversation with your energy company can make a real difference. It lets them know about your situation and opens the door to support that can make your bills more manageable.
Support can include payment plans and help to lower your energy costs.
You don’t have to sort everything out at once – help is available at any point.
Watch our video to see how energy companies can help you manage your bills:
Prefer help with this? You don’t have to work it out on your own. You’ll find details about the Energy Assistance Program on this page, which offers free, independent help if you’re struggling to pay your energy bills.
Energy companies must help you manage your bills
Energy companies in Victoria are required to follow rules that make sure everyone is treated fairly, depending on the type of payment difficulty you have.
If you owe money from previous bills
You have the right to support to help you manage and repay your debt. This includes:
- A payment plan that spreads the debt evenly over up to two years
- Advice from your energy company on ways to lower your energy costs
If you owe money from previous bills and cannot afford your ongoing energy use
You have additional rights designed to ensure you can stay connected and keep your energy costs manageable. These include:
- A six-month freeze on paying off your old debt (you may also be eligible for the Utility Relief Grant to help pay off debts)
- Set your own payment plan at an amount you can afford
- Support from your energy company to lower your ongoing energy costs to an affordable level
Get help early:
» If paying your energy bill is difficult, call your energy company and let them know – they are required to help.
When you call, tell them you’re having payment difficulties and ask what help they can offer.
Watch our video to see what to say and what to expect when you call:
Help with energy debts
If you owe money on your energy bills, the Utility Relief Grant Scheme (URGS) can help reduce or clear your debt. It’s designed for people experiencing financial difficulty to reduce the amount you owe.
URGS provides:
- Up to $650 for electricity and $650 for gas every two years
- Or up to $1,300 if you only have electricity
The grant can help make your energy bills more manageable and ease the stress of catching up on unpaid bills.
URGS is available to energy customers who are having trouble paying their bills and meet the eligibility criteria.
You are eligible to apply if:
- Your name is on the energy bill, and
- You hold a concession card or meet low-income criteria.
You must also be experiencing financial difficulty due to one of the following:
- Unexpected increases in living costs
- A decrease in income
- High rent or mortgage costs (more than 30% of your income)
- Family violence
How to apply
» To apply, call your energy company and let them know you’d like to apply for URGS. They will help you complete the application over the phone.
Your energy cannot be disconnected while your URGS application is being processed.
Know your rights around disconnection
In Victoria, energy companies can only disconnect your service for nonpayment after all other options have been explored.
Your energy company will always try to contact you before any disconnection.
Don’t wait:
» If you receive a disconnection notice, it’s important to call your energy company right away. A short conversation can make a difference.
You cannot be disconnected if you:
- Owe less than $300 on your energy bill
- Are making payments on a payment plan – it’s okay to occasionally miss a payment, pay late, or pay less than the full amount, as long as you call your energy company to let them know
- Have applied for a Utility Relief Grant
You have the right to support.
Energy and Water Ombudsman
» If you’ve tried to resolve an issue with your energy company but still aren’t getting the help you need, you can contact the Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria (EWOV) for free on 1800 500 509.
EWOV is an independent service that helps customers and energy companies resolve disputes fairly.
Energy Assistance Program
Payment difficulty
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or don’t know where to start, the free and independent Energy Assistance Program can talk you through your options and support you to contact your energy company. Help is just a call away.
📞 Call the Energy Assistance Program: 1800 161 215
Or learn more about the Energy Assistance Program
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Live in an embedded network? The information on this page may not apply to you. Visit our embedded network page.
Now that you’ve worked through the four steps, find out how your energy bill can help you stay on top of your concessions, energy use and costs.
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