Programs

To help with the general cost of living a state government concession is available to eligible South Australians on low or fixed incomes.

You may be eligible for the Cost of Living Concession, for your principal place of residence, if this was your principal place of residence on 1 July of the relevant financial year and held one of the following cards:

- a Pensioner Concession Card

- Gold Card from the Department of Veterans' Affairs, Totally and Permanently Incapacitated (TPI), Extreme Disablement Adjustment (EDA), War Widow

- Gold Card from the Department of Veterans' Affairs issued to a person with 80 or more overall impairment points under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004

- Low Income Health Care Card

- Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

- State Concession Card

OR one of the following eligible Centrelink payments:

- Newstart allowance

- Sickness allowance

- Widow allowance

- Youth allowance

- Partner allowance

- Parenting Payment Partnered

- Bereavement allowance

- Special benefit

- Community Development Employment Project (CDEP)

- New Enterprise Incentive Scheme

- ABSTUDY

- Austudy

OR

- You can demonstrate that on 1 July of the relevant financial year you meet low income provisions in the low income earners category.

Low Income category for 2019

Single - Fortnightly Income $654.20, Annual Income $17,009.20

Single with children - Fortnightly Income $18,176.60, Annual Income $31,236.40

Partnered - Fortnightly Income $1,201.40, Annual Income $31,236.40

Your application must be submitted by the 31st October.

Assists South Australians on a fixed or low income who have a clinically verified medical condition which requires the frequent use of heating or cooling in the home to prevent the severe worsening of their condition. The energy concession is to cover both electricity and gas payments (including LPG bottled gas).

If you hold a Federal Government Concession Card you may be eligible for a reduced rate on stamps and other services. You can get 5 free stamps and 50 reduced cost stamps per year and discount on mail hold and redirection services. Are you eligible? The following Australian Federal Government concession cards are accepted as proof of eligibility for a MyPost Concession account - Pensioner Concession Card - Health Care Card (all types) - Commonwealth Seniors Health Card - Department of Veterans' Affairs Card - Veterans' Repatriation Health Card

South Australians on low or fixed incomes and Seniors Card holders may be eligible to receive a concession on public transport fares.

You can easily find out if you are eligible by going to the website and answering a few questions.

Accompanied children under five years of age travel free at all times.

The School Card scheme offers financial assistance with school fees (materials and services charges) for students attending government schools in that year.

If your school fees (materials and services charges) are less than the School Card subsidy, the scheme can also help with other educational expenses such as uniform, camp and excursion costs.

For students at non-government schools, parents are encouraged to speak directly to the school about financial assistance.

Eligible South Australians on low or fixed incomes can apply for help with the cost of energy bills for their principal place of residence.

The concession amount is indexed each financial year. For 2018-19, you may be eligible to receive up to $223.01 to cover both electricity and gas payments (including LPG bottled gas).

If you live in a residential park you may be eligible for a combined concession for your water, sewerage and energy.

Eligible South Australians on low fixed incomes can receive help with water and sewerage rates.

The water concession is calculated as up to 30% of your total water bill for a financial year. The concession amounts is indexed each financial year.

The maximum sewerage rate remission is $114 per annum. This amount is indexed each financial year. Tenants are not eligible for a concession on sewerage rates.

A range of concessions is available from Department for Communities and Social Inclusion to help South Australians on low or fixed incomes with the cost of household and other expenses. The website offers information about each concession type and is available by clicking on one of the eligible card images.

You may be eligible for the general remission and/or a concession (maximum of $46 per year) on the ESL applied to your principal place of residence if you

Are the titled owner of the property

or

hold a life interest in the property

and

Hold one of the following cards:

- Pensioner Concession Card

- Gold Repatriation Health Card (TPI, EDA or War Widow) from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs-- Gold Card from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs issued to a person with 80 or more overall impairment points under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004

- Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

- Low Income Health Care Card*

NOTE: With the exception of a Low Income Health Care Card, if you hold one of the cards listed above, once your initial application has been approved, your general remission/concession will automatically be deducted from all future ESL Notices. *If you hold a Low Income Health Care Card, you will need to apply every year.

Or

Receive one of the following Centrelink payments:

- Newstart allowance

- Sickness allowance

- Widow allowance

- Youth allowance

- Partner allowance

- Parenting Payment

- Special benefit

- Community Development Employment Project (CDEP)

- New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS)

- ABSTUDY

- Austudy

- Farm Household Allowance

- War widow pension under legislation of the United Kingdom or New Zealand

NOTE: If you receive one of the Centrelink payments listed above, you will need to reapply each year.

The general remission and the concession are available on only one property per person, married couple or domestic partnership and must constitute the persons’/couples’/partners’ principal place of residence. Two or more persons owning land jointly or as tenants in common (other than a married couple or a domestic partnership) are each eligible for a part remission/concession, proportionate to his or her interest in their principal place of residence.