Programs

You can get free help and advice on a range of energy topics by contacting the Government of South Australia's Energy Advisory Service. The service can help you to save energy at home, find out about renewable energy, or if you are having trouble paying your energy bills, can give you advice about services that could help you.

You can contact the service by phone, email or visit the offices to speak to a staff member in person. Level 4 ANZ Building, 11 Waymouth Street Adelaide 5000.

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. This concession covers both electricity and gas payments (including LPG bottled gas) for up to $226.67 per year and is in addition to the current energy concession.

SA Water understand that it's difficult to meet household expenses and that sudden changes occur, which can make it difficult to pay your bill.

Contact the SA Water Customer Assist Program to find a suitable payment option to get you back on track.

For more information, contact the Customer Assist Program direct on 08 7424 1650 or 1300 729 283 for account and billing options.

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

To be eligible you must:

- own or rent your principal place of residence

- pay for water supply and/or all water usage

- hold an eligible card, receive an eligible Centrelink payment or meet low income provisions.

If you are a home owner you will need to provide your SA Water account number to concessions at the time of applying. If you live in a rental property you will need to supply SA Water with a copy of your lease and water bills received form property manager.

To apply, follow the link provided to the online application form or download a paper copy.

If you are unsure of your eligibility, please refer to the attached concessions finder or contact Concessions SA direct.

If you have previously applied for concessions, but are not currently receiving them, please contact Concessions SA to discuss.

Find an energy plan that best suits your needs.

This service will help you understand and compare your residential electricity and gas, usage and prices against similar households in your area. It also provides a wide range of useful information to learn about energy related topics such as energy efficiency, contracts, bills, your rights and obligations, and the energy market.

Energy Made Easy is an Australian Government website maintained by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).

It can be hard to tell how much power you are using at home. A home energy audit can help you find out how much power your fridge, washing machine, TV and other appliances are using.

You can do a basic home energy audit using the attached audit guide or hire a home energy toolkit from your local public library free of charge.

Low income households may be eligible for a free home energy audit through the Retailer Energy Efficiency Scheme (REES). Contact any of the REES obliged retails or third party contacts (link provided) to find out more.

For more information, please contact 1800 671 907 or click on the links provided.

Energy Providers offer instalment plans and they are usually available to all customers.

Often called Bill Smoothing, it is an arrangement where you pay smaller amounts more frequently in order to avoid 'bill shock'.

Under this arrangement, your provider will average your consumption over a period of time and divide it into equal instalments. It is important to note they are not subsidised plans offering cheaper energy, they just help you to manage your budget and avoid the stress of having to cover large bills that come less frequently.

To find out more, contact your energy provider and ask to speak to someone in their Hardship Team.

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

To be eligible you must:

- live at the property

- be listed as an account holder on your electrcity bill

- hold an eligible concession card or receive an eligible Centrelink payment

- not be living with anyone who has an income of more than $3,000 per year, unless they either:

- get an allowance from Centrelink or the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA)

- are your spouse, domestic partner or dependent.

If you live in a residential park you may be eligible for a combined concession for your water, sewerage and energy - see Residential Park Resident Concessions link.

To apply, follow the link provided to the online application form or download a copy.

If you are unsure of your eligibility, please refer to the attached concessions finder or contact Concessions SA direct.

If you have previously applied for concessions, but are not currently receiving them, please contact Concessions SA to discuss further.

ConnectEd aims to increase knowledge, skills and resources of all community members so they are better able to manage their essential household utilities, including electricity, gas, water and communications. ConnectEd staff work with community members to understand bills, identify opportunities to use less and save, look for better deals, and talk with utilities companies to get a better, fairer outcome.

ConnectEd team members can come and talk to your community group. In a one to two hour session, they focus broadly on energy and water concerns in the community, as well as providing valuable information on ways to help maintain affordable household utilities.

ConnectEd also provide financial counselling case management for individuals and families experiencing difficulty with utilities bills, no matter how simple or complex the situation.

To find out more or make an appointment please follow the links below.