Introduction
Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA) helps people experiencing difficulty paying their energy bill because of a short-term financial hardship, crisis or emergency.
An eligible hardship, crisis or emergency may include:
- loss of income
- unexpected medical costs
- natural disaster (flood, bushfire, or drought)
- receiving a disconnection letter.
Eligibility
Households that get their electricity and/or gas from a retailer may be eligible for EAPA.
Some households in embedded networks (on-supply), such as apartment buildings, residential parks and retirement villages, may be eligible for EAPA.
These embedded network providers are currently approved to deliver EAPA:
- Arc Energy Group
- Origin Energy.
If you receive your bill from one of these energy providers, you can apply for EAPA. If you are assessed as eligible, your energy provider will apply EAPA directly to your energy account.
All of the following eligibility conditions must also apply:
- You have an electricity or natural gas account for your home in NSW.
- You're the account holder (the account and bill must be in your name).
- You have not paid your most recent bill.
- The bill you need help with is for an account that is still open.
- You're having a short-term financial crisis or emergency and finding it hard to pay your recent energy bill.
You're not eligible if any of the following apply:
- you live in an embedded network and your energy provider is not Origin Energy or Arc Energy Group (use the Savings Finder to find energy rebates and other savings you could be eligible for)
- you receive your gas supply through LPG bottles (you may be eligible for a gas rebate instead)
- the bill you need help for:
- has already been paid in full, or less than $50 is owing on the bill
- is for a business account or non-residential account
- is for a previous home or a different retailer to the one you are with now
- is from a retailer that is not registered for EAPA.
- you're not the account holder or you do not have authority to act on someone else's behalf.
What you need
- 2 proof of identity documents (such as Australian driver licence, Medicare card, passport)
- a copy of your current electricity and/or natural gas bill
- a MyServiceNSW Account (if you are applying online).
How to apply
Apply online
- Check the eligibility requirements.
- Select the 'Apply online' button.
- Log in or create your MyServiceNSW Account.
- Follow the prompts to submit your application for assessment.
Apply in person or over the phone
You can apply in person or over the phone to be assessed by an approved Non-Government EAPA provider.
Contacting a Non-Government EAPA provider may be more suitable if you:
- prefer an in-person assessment (offered by some providers)
- do not have an email address
- need other support, such as no-interest loans, financial counselling, and clothing or food assistance.
More information
- For ongoing support, use our Savings Finder to find energy rebates and other savings.
- If you need help to apply online, call Service NSW on 13 77 88.
- You can appoint an authorised person to apply on your behalf if you're not able to do so yourself. The person helping you will need to complete an Authority to Act form.