Concessions for Pensioners: Victoria (VIC)
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Are you unsure of what you’re eligible for as an Australian senior? We’re here to help!
This guide details the benefits of Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) holders in Victoria (VIC). With the card, you can get cheaper medicine, bulk-billed doctor visits, and help with hearing services.
If you want to know more about what a PCC is and how to avail it, click here!
Read on to determine what concessions you're entitled to with your PCC!
Utilities
The annual electricity concession reduces usage and service costs of household bills by 17.5% after the first $171.60 of the annual bill. The winter gas concession is available from 1 May to 31 October each year and reduces usage and service costs of household bills by 17.5% after the first $62.40 accrued over that six-month period. Holders of a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card or DVA Veteran Gold Card are eligible for both schemes.
To apply, call your electricity or gas retailer and give your concession card details over the phone. Then check the rebate has been applied to your next bill.
If you are a Pensioner Concession Card holder or DVA Veterans Gold Card holder, you may also be eligible for:
Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) and DVA Veteran Gold Card holders are entitled to a concession of 50% discount off water and sewerage charges up to an annual maximum. The annual maximum concession is indexed each year. There is a 50% deduction on water and sewerage charges up to a yearly maximum of $354.10 for 2022–23.
The concession can be claimed directly from your water supplier — check your water account/bill for details of who to contact.
Rates
A variety of concessions and benefits are available to eligible cardholders to assist low-income Victorians with housing bills. If you have a Pensioner Concession Card or DVA Veteran Gold Card, you may be eligible for one of these concessions:
Motor vehicle registration
Motor vehicle registration fee - Eligible concession card holders can reduce their car registration fee by half. This concession provides a 50% reduction on the motor vehicle registration fee component of your registration bill.
The concession is available to holders of Pensioner Concession Cards and Veterans' Affairs Gold Cards.
For holders of the DVA Veterans Gold Card given for TPI or EDA, a 100 per cent reduction on the motor vehicle registration fee applies. The card holder or their spouse must be the registered operator of the vehicle. There is a limit of one vehicle per concession card.
Eligible concession card holders also have the option to pay for six-month registration.
For more information and to apply, see the Concessions and discounts page of the VIC Roads website or call 13 11 71.
Public transport
A Seniors Myki card gives you access to the following:
Seniors Business Discount Card holders are not eligible to receive a free Seniors myki card upon joining the program.
Once you have your seniors myki, you should register it. There are many benefits to registering your myki, including a free card replacement card if it's lost or stolen. For more information on how to register, visit the Public Transport Victoria website
And you can top it up at:
Seniors Card holders are also entitled to free travel vouchers each year. You will need to register to receive the free travel vouchers.
To access free travel vouchers annually, you must live in Victoria and hold a:
Eligible metropolitan Melbourne residents receive two off-peak travel vouchers yearly, while Victorians living in regional areas receive four.
If eligible, REGISTER HERE to access the free travel voucher program. You only need to register once.
Courtesy Bus
Many RSLs offer a free courtesy bus that will collect you from your home. Speak to your local RSL for more information.
Other
Australia Post
Australia Post offers a 40% discount on postage stamps, discounts on redirecting mail and free document certification for eligible concession card holders.
You can apply if you hold any of the following Australian Federal Government concession cards:
Telstra
Telstra offers a number of concessions to Pensioner Concession Card holders, including a discount on new telephone service connection fee and a reduction in your home line plan costs. For more information, contact Telstra at 1800 676 442 or visit their website.
Pet Registration
Pensioner Concession Card holders may be eligible for concessions on cat and dog registrations (concession availability and amount varies between councils). Contact your local council to apply. The relevant council contact details are on the Know Your Council website.
This guide details the benefits of Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) holders in Victoria (VIC). With the card, you can get cheaper medicine, bulk-billed doctor visits, and help with hearing services.
If you want to know more about what a PCC is and how to avail it, click here!
Read on to determine what concessions you're entitled to with your PCC!
Image Credit: Unsplash
Utilities
The annual electricity concession reduces usage and service costs of household bills by 17.5% after the first $171.60 of the annual bill. The winter gas concession is available from 1 May to 31 October each year and reduces usage and service costs of household bills by 17.5% after the first $62.40 accrued over that six-month period. Holders of a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card or DVA Veteran Gold Card are eligible for both schemes.
To apply, call your electricity or gas retailer and give your concession card details over the phone. Then check the rebate has been applied to your next bill.
If you are a Pensioner Concession Card holder or DVA Veterans Gold Card holder, you may also be eligible for:
- Controlled load electricity concession – Eligible concession card holders can receive a 13% discount off their controlled load electricity bills. The concession is only available to households with an eligible dual element electricity meter or dual element smart meter. Your retailer will automatically give you the concession if you are eligible and you have provided your concession details. To check if you should be receiving this concession, phone your electricity retailer.
- Electricity transfer fee waiver – Concession card holders can have their electricity service connected for free when moving into a new house. Your retailer will automatically give you the concession if you are eligible and you have provided your concession details. To check if you should be receiving this concession, phone your electricity retailer.
- Excess electricity concession – An electricity account holder whose annual electricity costs are above $3,000 may receive a 17.5% reduction in electricity usage and service costs. Your electricity retailer will check if you need to apply for the excessive electricity concession and send you an application form.
- Excess gas concession – A gas account holder whose winter gas costs are above $1,734 may receive a 17.5% reduction in gas usage and service costs. Your gas retailer will check if you need to apply for the excess gas concession and send you an application form.
- Life support concession – If you are a concession card holder using a life support machine at home you could be eligible for concessions on your electricity and water bills. There are specific requirements that you can read here.
- Medical cooling concession – To receive a concession on electricity bills related to medically-required cooling, your medical condition must be confirmed by your doctor. You may be eligible for a concession on 17.5% of electricity usage and service costs between 1 November and 30 April. For an application form, phone your electricity retailer or the Concessions information line on 1800 658 521 (toll free). The application form needs to be completed and signed by your doctor confirming your medical condition. If your condition is one of the pre-approved conditions, send the form to your retailer.
- Non-mains energy concession – Concession card holders who source non-mains energy for their heating, cooking and hot water can apply for a concession to help cover their yearly energy costs. The concession is paid annually based on the amount paid for each energy type in that year. You can find examples of past payment amounts here. Application forms are available by phoning the Concessions information line on 1800 658 521 (toll free).
- Service to property charge concession – If your electricity usage bill is lower than the service charge, concession card holders can have the service charge reduced to the usage cost. The retailer will automatically give you the concession if you are eligible and you have provided your concession details. To check if you should be receiving this concession, phone your electricity retailer.
Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) and DVA Veteran Gold Card holders are entitled to a concession of 50% discount off water and sewerage charges up to an annual maximum. The annual maximum concession is indexed each year. There is a 50% deduction on water and sewerage charges up to a yearly maximum of $354.10 for 2022–23.
The concession can be claimed directly from your water supplier — check your water account/bill for details of who to contact.
Rates
A variety of concessions and benefits are available to eligible cardholders to assist low-income Victorians with housing bills. If you have a Pensioner Concession Card or DVA Veteran Gold Card, you may be eligible for one of these concessions:
- Fire services property levy concession - Concession card holders should check their council rates notice to see if they receive a discount on the fire services property levy.
- Property owners already receiving the Municipal rates concession will automatically receive a concession on their Fire services property levy assessment.
- Eligible cardholders should check their rates notice and contact their local council with any queries. A listing of Victorian councils is available at the Know your council website.
- Municipal rates concession - Victorian homeowners with eligible concession cards can claim a deduction on council rates
- 50% deduction on council rates up to a yearly maximum of $253.20 for 2022–23.
Motor vehicle registration
Motor vehicle registration fee - Eligible concession card holders can reduce their car registration fee by half. This concession provides a 50% reduction on the motor vehicle registration fee component of your registration bill.
The concession is available to holders of Pensioner Concession Cards and Veterans' Affairs Gold Cards.
For holders of the DVA Veterans Gold Card given for TPI or EDA, a 100 per cent reduction on the motor vehicle registration fee applies. The card holder or their spouse must be the registered operator of the vehicle. There is a limit of one vehicle per concession card.
Eligible concession card holders also have the option to pay for six-month registration.
For more information and to apply, see the Concessions and discounts page of the VIC Roads website or call 13 11 71.
Public transport
A Seniors Myki card gives you access to the following:
- Concession fares (a 50% discount on full fares) on trains, trams and buses, including V/Line trains and coaches. Free travel on Saturdays and Sundays in two consecutive zones (e.g. Zone 1 and 2) and on regional town buses.
- Free travel on all Victorian public transport during the Victorians Seniors Festival, including Melbourne trains, trams and buses, regional trains, coaches and buses. Tap on and off as usual during this time, but you won't be charged for the trips!
How do I get a seniors myki?
New Seniors Card program applicants receive a seniors myki for free with their Seniors Card which is posted with a Welcome pack.Seniors Business Discount Card holders are not eligible to receive a free Seniors myki card upon joining the program.
Once you have your seniors myki, you should register it. There are many benefits to registering your myki, including a free card replacement card if it's lost or stolen. For more information on how to register, visit the Public Transport Victoria website
And you can top it up at:
- Hundreds of shops, including all 7-Eleven stores.
- Premium Stations as listed on the PTV website.
- From myki machines at selected train stations and stops.
- Mobile myki app using your Android smartphone. For more information, visit the PTV website.
- Online at PTV website.
- By calling PTV on 1800 800 007.
Seniors Card holders are also entitled to free travel vouchers each year. You will need to register to receive the free travel vouchers.
To access free travel vouchers annually, you must live in Victoria and hold a:
- Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) (all codes) or
- Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) PCC or
- Victorian Seniors Card or
- Victorian Carer Card (‘We Care’ Card).
Eligible metropolitan Melbourne residents receive two off-peak travel vouchers yearly, while Victorians living in regional areas receive four.
If eligible, REGISTER HERE to access the free travel voucher program. You only need to register once.
Courtesy Bus
Many RSLs offer a free courtesy bus that will collect you from your home. Speak to your local RSL for more information.
Other
Australia Post
Australia Post offers a 40% discount on postage stamps, discounts on redirecting mail and free document certification for eligible concession card holders.
You can apply if you hold any of the following Australian Federal Government concession cards:
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card
- Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
- Department of Veterans' Affairs Card
- Veterans' Repatriation Health Card
Telstra
Telstra offers a number of concessions to Pensioner Concession Card holders, including a discount on new telephone service connection fee and a reduction in your home line plan costs. For more information, contact Telstra at 1800 676 442 or visit their website.
Pet Registration
Pensioner Concession Card holders may be eligible for concessions on cat and dog registrations (concession availability and amount varies between councils). Contact your local council to apply. The relevant council contact details are on the Know Your Council website.
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