Unlock this simple trick to potentially double your $300 energy rebate

As Australians grapple with the rising cost of living, the government's 2024 Federal Budget has thrown a lifeline in the form of a $300 energy rebate for every household.

This measure, set to kick in on July 1 this year, is a welcome relief for many, but with the average annual energy bill soaring over $1,700, more savings are needed.

Fortunately, there's a simple method that could help you double that rebate, and millions of Aussies could benefit from it.



The key to unlocking these additional savings lies in being proactive and shopping around for the best energy deal.

According to Canstar Blue, a comparison service, switching to the cheapest plan can result in significant savings.


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According to Canstar Blue, switching to the most affordable plan can increase energy savings for Australians. Image source: Shutterstock



'Switching to the cheapest currently available plan on every network on our database offered an opportunity to make the newly announced energy bill relief payment stretch further,' said Christine Seib, Canstar Blue’s Editor-in-Chief.

When you compare the average energy bill for each state and territory against the cheapest available plan, the potential savings are substantial.



For instance, in New South Wales, you could save anywhere from $310 to $439 annually by choosing the right provider.

Victoria's competitive market offers even greater savings. If you switch to Ausnet Services, you can avoid up to $476 in expenses.

Similarly, residents of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Queensland, and South Australia could see energy bill reductions of $380 to $441.

Electricity Costs Comparison.jpg

Before you switch providers, Canstar Blue said you need to consider a few things:

  • The overall value—which includes energy supply and usage rates, the terms and conditions of discounts, additional fees that might apply, and other incentives.
  • The timing of your switch is crucial to ensure that you won't violate your current energy plan contract by switching to a new provider.


It is also pointed out that the government’s $300 rebate plan has a loophole.

People who own multiple properties may be eligible to claim more than one $300 energy rebate, provided their name is on the bills.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers clarified that the rebate will go to the person whose name is on the bill, meaning landlords with tenants won't receive the rebate twice if the tenant's name is on the bill.

However, the owner of a holiday home that isn't rented out would also receive a rebate for that property.

This is because the tax office does not currently share personal data with energy retailers, and changing this would be both time-consuming and costly.

'We would have to change fundamentally the data-sharing arrangements, that would take time and money in order to do that,' Dr Chalmers explained at the National Press Club.

He added that providing the rebate to every household was the 'most efficient way' to offer cost-of-living relief to people across income levels.



The $3.5 billion cost-of-living measure announced in the federal budget will benefit more than 10 million households and around one million small businesses.

The rebate will be applied directly to people’s bills in $75 instalments, regardless of income.

Members of the Seniors Discount Club, it's time to take action and make the most of this opportunity.

Review your current energy plan, compare it with other offerings in the market, and switch if you find a better deal. By doing so, you could significantly reduce your energy expenses this year, making that $300 rebate go much further.


Source: Yahoo Australia/YouTube​

Key Takeaways

  • The government's 2024 Federal Budget measure includes a $300 energy bill rebate for every Australian household.
  • Canstar Blue's research suggested that switching to the cheapest energy plan available could more than double households' savings.
  • Households in different states can save varying amounts, with Victorians potentially saving the most by changing providers.
  • The rebate applies to every household with the bill payer's name on it, and individuals with multiple properties can claim more than one rebate.
What are your thoughts on Canstar Blue's recommendation, members? Do you have other tips for saving more on energy bills? Share them in the comments below!
 
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It pays to shop around, however you need to be mindful that if you still receive the "gov feed in tarriff" of 0.44kwh you will loose that if swhitching providers. I have stayed with same energy company but switched to senior saver plan, therefore I have kept the full gov feed in tarriff but do not get any extra tarriff off by provider. It is still a big win for me though.
 
I get really annoyed with all of these people saying just change to a different provider. In Central Queensland, we have one only provider. Ergon! We have no choice and as they have the monopoly and no competition, we have to put up with their outrageous prices and so called fees.
 
It is not easy for us to change providers as we have solar, so we have to consider our solar feed in tariff we get as well as energy costs we pay. If we get lower energy costs we get lower feed in tariffs. The government should regulate the feed in tariffs paid by energy companies, some are less than 10c per kilowatt, then the company on sells to customers for huge profits. We installed a battery about 10 years ago as the feed in tariffs kept getting lower all the time, now the power we store in the battery helps run our home at night. We have recently installed another add on to the battery which will power our lights and ceiling fans in the event of a blackout. It will stop any excess power going to the grid while the blackout is on thereby giving us power for longer from our battery. We haven’t had a blackout since we installed it, so are yet to have to try it out. As for the government not being able to only give the $300 to lower income earners, why can’t they liase with the taxation office to find out these details, the tax office could send out emails to the low income earners to forward to their respective power companies so they get the discount applied. Al Centrelink recipients should be able to automatically get it, Centrelink know the details for a lot of them as they pay their power bills straight out of their benefits already. But then I guess all the politicians and their overly wealthy mates wouldn’t get it, that would be such a shame.
 
at the last election,albo promised(told untruth) that power bills would drop by 2 to 3 hundred dollars permanently he said nothing about him giving back our own money!!!!
Albo's election pledge was made on the basis of what was publicly known about energy supply and costs. He didn't know that Morrison's government were hiding a report pointing to problems in the electricity supply system which would cause price increases.
 
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This advice about switching to the cheapest plan doesn't account for solar panels and the fact that you can't switch to the cheapest plans when you have solar panels. You are very limited with what plans you can choose. They are usually the dearer plans. If the company has a cheaper plan, you get nothing in return for the power you feed back (it is low enough, but it becomes worse).
 
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This advice about switching to the cheapest plan doesn't account for solar panels and the fact that you can't switch to the cheapest plans when you have solar panels. You are very limited with what plans you can choose. They are usually the dearer plans. If the company has a cheaper plan, you get nothing in return for the power you feed back (it is low enough, but it becomes worse).
We have solar and I used to think the same. But being a family of 6 we had a good feed in tariff and higher cost per unit but we use all our power and never give back to the grid (all electric/no gas). So better of to switch to much lower plan with less feed in tariff). Hence no need for battery. Still get much cheaper bills by using power from the sun.
 
Yes I was being flippant as only the eastern states where named .Unfortunately the SDC mainly talks about eastern states
Yes, but we're doing OK here in the West aren't we.
I was born in Victoria, came here to WA 50 years ago, when I was 27, have never wanted to go back.
Had a couple of stints in SA for a few years as my husband's children live there.
SA is fine, but WA is home, couldn't wait to get back.
 
Australia's energy supply is a privatised shambles. It seems uncoordinated, locally monopolistic and includes overseas shareholders e.g PR China amongst others. One cannot expect useful social policy from the LNP, as that mob in particular hold to the insane policy of privatising public assets whilst socialising costs such as the AFL's planned and unnecessary Tasmanian stadium for $750 million of taxpayer's money, among other stunts such as running down our public hospital system and not building public housing, not to mention passing legislation to cut the top tax-rate to 33%.

The $300 is welcome. But as for long-term social impact on our national energy supply across Australia, it is but a flea-bite.
 
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