How can we help?
Key services
To learn about the various concessions available to older Victorians:
- Call 1300 475 170
- Visit the Victorian Department of Families, Fairness and Housing concessions and benefits website
For assistance using Victorian Energy Compare, which will help you compare electricity offers, gas offers, and solar savings:
- Call 1800 000 832
- Visit the Victorian Energy Compare website
- $100 Power Saving Bonus: A $100 payment available to households with a Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, Veterans’ Affairs Pensioner Concession Card or Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card, and a recent electricity bill.
- Energy Assistance Program: A free phone service helping Victorians having trouble paying their energy bills. The service covers energy debt, getting the best offer, saving energy, and negotiating with energy companies.
Both initiatives detailed above are open now; the Power Saving Bonus is scheduled to close at the end of March 2026. Visit the Energy Bill Relief Fund website to learn more.
Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria (EWOV)
Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria (EWOV) is a free, independent service that resolves disputes between Victorians and their water and energy suppliers. You can make a complaint by phone, email, fax, in writing or by using EWOV’s online form. Interpreting and accessibility services are available. Read more about the complaints process and the types of complaints you can make on EWOV’s website. You can also call them on 1800 500 509, between 8.30am and 5 pm Monday to Friday.
Victorian Default Offer
The Victorian Default Offer (VDP) is an independent, ‘fair’, priced electricity offer that you can switch to, or use to check if you’re getting value for money on your electricity.
Under new legislation passed in the Parliament of Victoria, every Victorian household and small business (with the exception of embedded network customers) can now ask for a default offer from their electricity retailer.
The default offer stays the same for at least six months at a time, meaning you won’t be surprised by any sudden changes in what you’re paying.
Here’s how Victorian Default Offer changes affect you:
If you’re on an electricity retailer’s flat ‘standing offer’, you are automatically put on the Victorian Default Offer. A standing offer means you havn’t negotiated a discount or changed retailers recently.
If you’re on a ‘standing offer’ that isn’t flat, like a flexible or time of use tariff, or if you’re on a ‘market offer’ (a contract with an electricity retailer that lasts a set amount of time), then you can ask your retailer to put you on the default offer or use the default offer to see if you’re getting a good deal.
Not sure which offer you’re on? Check with your energy retailer, or have a look on your bill.
You have a right to be on the VDO if you want to be, unless you are an embedded network customer. If your retailer refuses, call the Energy and Water Ombudsman 1800 500 509.
How much you save depends on your annual consumption of electricity, and your electricity distribution zone. For example, a residential customer currently on a standing offer using 4,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year could see their annual electricity bill cut by $310 to $450 from 1 July 2019.
Find out more about the Victorian Default Offer on the ESC link below:
https://www.esc.vic.gov.au/making-most-victorian-default-offer#tabs-container1
If you are in a retirement village, residential park or apartment you could be on an embedded network. Unfortunately, customers on an embedded network will not be able access the Victorian Default Offer but are expected to have access to a fair and efficient price set by July 2020.
Best Offer
From 1 July 2019 energy companies must tell Victorian customers whether they’re on their best energy plan and how much the customer could save by switching to that plan (electricity and gas).
The best energy offer is a retailer’s best energy plan suitable for a particular customer. This is based on how much energy the customer has used over the past year. This best offer might be better/cheaper than the VDO and all consumers are able to ask for the Best Offer. The VDO is meant to protect consumers who choose not spend time ‘energy shopping’.
Energy retailers are now obligated to:
- tell customers (at least every 3 months for electricity bills and at least every 4 months for gas bills) whether they’re on the retailer’s best energy plan and if not, how much the customer could save by switching to the deemed best plan (best offer message),
- give customers at least five days warning before making changes that will affect the customer’s bill (and include the ‘best offer’ message)
- provide clear and helpful advice about the retailer’s best energy plan before signing a customer on to a new energy deal (taking into account all relevant terms and conditions).
- present all prices with GST included to make it easier to compare offers between retailers.
The Commonwealth Government Energy Supplement
The Commonwealth Government Energy Supplement is a fortnightly payment to help with energy costs. You may be eligible if you get an income support payment – such as an age pension – or if you hold a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.
The amount you can receive depends on whether you are single or have a partner. You don’t need to apply for the supplement. It will be added to your regular payments. Read more about the Energy Supplement or call DHS’ Older Australians Helpline on 132 300.