Payment Difficulties
Payment Difficulties
Compare Plans
Electricity & Gas
Moving House
Internet
Having trouble paying your bill?
If you’re a Victorian residential customer facing financial difficulty, you’re entitled to a range of assistance options to help you pay your energy bills.
We’re here to help you and encourage you to call us on 1300 426 594, 8.30am to 6.00pm (AEST), Monday to Friday. If you need an interpreter please call 13 14 50.
You can download a summary of this information here.
How we can help
Payment options
There are flexible payment options available for you which include:
- the ability to make payments of an equal amount over a specified period
- options for making payments at different intervals
- extending due dates
- paying for energy use in advance.
We can help you set up a payment plan that works best for you.
If you are having trouble paying arrears but can meet ongoing energy costs, we can assist with extended payment plans of up to 2 years.
If you are having trouble paying arrears and ongoing energy costs, we can assist through our Hardship Program; placing your arrears on hold for up to 6 months with flexible payment options for your ongoing energy use, as we work towards lowering your energy costs.
Lowering energy usage
We can give advice about your likely future energy costs as well as energy efficiency and appropriate pricing plans. If you are in arrears and unable to meet your ongoing energy costs we can also provide practical assistance, including an over the phone energy audit and energy saving plan.
Concessions and Rebates
We will help you sign up for any concessions and rebates you’re entitled to. Have a look at our concessions and rebates page for more information.
Utility Relief Grant Scheme (URGS)
The Utility Relief Grant Scheme provides assistance if you do not have the capacity to pay your current energy bill due to a sudden or temporary financial crisis and you are at risk of disconnection of supply due to non-payment.
You may only apply through the scheme once every 2 years for your electricity account.
To be eligible you must hold a valid concession card. Valid concession cards include:
- Pensioner Concession Cards issued by Centrelink or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- Health Care Cards issued by Centrelink
- Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Repatriation Health Cards.
Visit the Department of Families Fairness and Housings website for more information.
Centrepay
Centrepay is a voluntary bill paying service which is free for Centrelink customers. You can use Centrepay to arrange regular deductions from your Centrelink payment. You can choose when to start, change or stop using Centrepay.
To set up a payment you’ll need the 1st Energy Centrepay number 555117312V. The reference number can be found on your bill.
Visit Services Australia website for more information on how to register.
Financial Counselling
We can help you get connected to other organisations (for example financial counsellors) to provide further assistance.
Financial Counselling Australia
Ph 1800 007 007
National Debt Helpline
Ph 1800 007 007
Salvation Army
Ph 13 SALVOS (13 72 58)
St Vincent de Paul
Ph 03 9895 5800
Email: info@svdp-vic.org.au
Other assistance
Local Church, Community Centres or Community Organisations can also often help.
The Department of Social Services Grants Service Directory includes details of active grants and organisations that may be able to assist you and we encourage you to access these services.
There is also a wide range of useful resources, advice, calculators and links available on the Moneysmart website.
The Disaster Assist website also has information on how people in declared natural disaster areas can access disaster recovery payments.
Legal Advice
The National Legal Aid website provides information on how to access legal aid in your state.
Hardship Program and Policy
If you are experiencing difficulties paying your energy bills, contact the 1st Energy team to discuss how we can help you. Our 1st Energy Hardship policy sets out how 1st Energy will assist our customers to manage their energy usage and costs when participating in our hardship program.
You can find information about our hardship program and access our hardship policy here.
Having trouble paying your bill?
If you’re a Tasmanian residential customer facing financial difficulty, you’re entitled to a range of assistance options to help you pay your energy bills.
We’re here to help you and encourage you to call us on 1300 426 594, 8.30am to 6.00pm (AEST), Monday to Friday. If you need an interpreter please call 13 14 50.
How we can help
Payment options
There are flexible payment options available for you which include:
- the ability to make payments of an equal amount over a specified period
- options for making payments at different intervals
- extending due dates
- paying for energy use in advance.
We can help you set up a payment plan that works best for you.
If you are having trouble paying arrears and ongoing energy costs, we can assist via our Hardship Program with flexible payment arrangements that consider your debt, ongoing energy use and capacity to pay over the next 12 months.
Lowering energy usage
We can give advice about your likely future energy costs as well as energy efficiency and appropriate pricing plans. If you are in arrears and unable to meet your ongoing energy costs we can also provide practical assistance, including an over the phone energy audit and energy saving plan.
Concessions and Rebates
We will help you sign up for any concessions and rebates you’re entitled to. Have a look at our concessions and rebates page for more information.
Tasmania Salvation Army
The Tasmania Salvation Army provides an Energy Hardship Fund which eligible residential customers may be able to access.
The fund is available to customers experiencing vulnerability and hardship such as:
- death in the family
- household illness
- family violence
- unemployment or
- reduced income.
For more information, contact us on 1300 426 594 or visit the Salvation Army website for more information.
Centrepay
Centrepay is a voluntary bill paying service which is free for Centrelink customers. You can use Centrepay to arrange regular deductions from your Centrelink payment. You can choose when to start, change or stop using Centrepay.
To set up a payment you’ll need the 1st Energy Centrepay number 555117312V. The reference number can be found on your bill.
Visit Services Australia website for more information on how to register.
Financial Counselling
We can help you get connected to other organisations (for example financial counsellors) to provide further assistance.
Financial Counselling Australia
Ph 1800 007 007
National Debt Helpline
Ph 1800 007 007
Salvation Army
Ph 13 SALVOS (13 72 58)
St Vincent de Paul
Ph 03 9895 5800
Email: info@svdp-vic.org.au
Other assistance
Local Church, Community Centres or Community Organisations can also often help.
The Department of Social Services Grants Service Directory includes details of active grants and organisations that may be able to assist you and we encourage you to access these services.
There is also a wide range of useful resources, advice, calculators and links available on the Moneysmart website.
The Disaster Assist website also has information on how people in declared natural disaster areas can access disaster recovery payments.
Legal Advice
The National Legal Aid website provides information on how to access legal aid in your state.
Hardship Program and Policy
If you are experiencing difficulties paying your energy bills, contact the 1st Energy team to discuss how we can help you. Our 1st Energy Hardship policy sets out how 1st Energy will assist our customers to manage their energy usage and costs when participating in our hardship program.
You can find information about our hardship program and access our hardship policy here.
Having trouble paying your bill?
If you’re a New South Wales residential customer facing financial difficulty, you’re entitled to a range of assistance options to help you pay your energy bills.
We’re here to help you and encourage you to call us on 1300 426 594, 8.30am to 6.00pm (AEST), Monday to Friday. If you need an interpreter please call 13 14 50.
How we can help
Payment options
There are flexible payment options available for you which include:
- the ability to make payments of an equal amount over a specified period
- options for making payments at different intervals
- extending due dates
- paying for energy use in advance.
We can help you set up a payment plan that works best for you.
If you are having trouble paying arrears and ongoing energy costs, we can assist via our Hardship Program with flexible payment arrangements that consider your debt, ongoing energy use and capacity to pay over the next 12 months.
Lowering energy usage
We can give advice about your likely future energy costs as well as energy efficiency and appropriate pricing plans. If you are in arrears and unable to meet your ongoing energy costs we can also provide practical assistance, including an over the phone energy audit and energy saving plan.
Concessions and Rebates
We will help you sign up for any concessions and rebates you’re entitled to. Have a look at our concessions and rebates page for more information.
Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA)
You may be eligible for Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA) if you are experiencing payment difficulty because of a short term or emergency crisis.
EAPA vouchers are sent electronically to your energy retailer to help pay your home electricity or gas account. Applying for EAPA vouchers involves an eligibility assessment by a NSW Government representative or an approved non-government EAPA provider.
EAPA voucher limits apply, and vouchers can’t be used to put your energy account into credit, on closed accounts, or if your account has already been paid.
Eligibility
- have an electricity or natural gas account for a NSW residential address, which is your primary place of residence, and the account must be active at the time of your assessment (all other accounts are not eligible)
- be the electricity or natural gas account holder (your account and bill must be in your name)
- be experiencing a short-term financial crisis or emergency that has caused you financial hardship and impacted your ability to pay your current residential energy bill (in part or in full).
For more information, contact us on 1300 426 594 or visit the Service NSW website for more information.
Centrepay
Centrepay is a voluntary bill paying service which is free for Centrelink customers. You can use Centrepay to arrange regular deductions from your Centrelink payment. You can choose when to start, change or stop using Centrepay.
To set up a payment you’ll need the 1st Energy Centrepay number 555117312V. The reference number can be found on your bill.
Visit Services Australia website for more information on how to register.
Financial Counselling
We can help you get connected to other organisations (for example financial counsellors) to provide further assistance.
Financial Counselling Australia
Ph 1800 007 007
National Debt Helpline
Ph 1800 007 007
Salvation Army
Ph 13 SALVOS (13 72 58)
St Vincent de Paul
Ph 03 9895 5800
Email: info@svdp-vic.org.au
Other assistance
Local Church, Community Centres or Community Organisations can also often help.
The Department of Social Services Grants Service Directory includes details of active grants and organisations that may be able to assist you and we encourage you to access these services.
There is also a wide range of useful resources, advice, calculators and links available on the Moneysmart website.
The Disaster Assist website also has information on how people in declared natural disaster areas can access disaster recovery payments.
Legal Advice
The National Legal Aid website provides information on how to access legal aid in your state.
Hardship Program and Policy
If you are experiencing difficulties paying your energy bills, contact the 1st Energy team to discuss how we can help you. Our 1st Energy Hardship policy sets out how 1st Energy will assist our customers to manage their energy usage and costs when participating in our hardship program.
You can find information about our hardship program and access our hardship policy here.
Having trouble paying your bill?
If you’re a Queensland residential customer facing financial difficulty, you’re entitled to a range of assistance options to help you pay your energy bills.
We’re here to help you and encourage you to call us on 1300 426 594, 8.30am to 6.00pm (AEST), Monday to Friday. If you need an interpreter please call 13 14 50.
How we can help
Payment options
There are flexible payment options available for you which include:
- the ability to make payments of an equal amount over a specified period
- options for making payments at different intervals
- extending due dates
- paying for energy use in advance.
We can help you set up a payment plan that works best for you.
If you are having trouble paying arrears and ongoing energy costs, we can assist via our Hardship Program with flexible payment arrangements that consider your debt, ongoing energy use and capacity to pay over the next 12 months.
Lowering energy usage
We can give advice about your likely future energy costs as well as energy efficiency and appropriate pricing plans. If you are in arrears and unable to meet your ongoing energy costs we can also provide practical assistance, including an over the phone energy audit and energy saving plan.
Concessions and Rebates
We will help you sign up for any concessions and rebates you’re entitled to. Have a look at our concessions and rebates page for more information.
Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme (HEEAS)
The Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme is for:
- Queensland households experiencing problems paying their electricity or reticulated natural gas bills because of an unforeseen emergency or a short-term financial crisis
- is a one-off emergency assistance to help with paying your home energy bills
- pays up to $720 once every 2 years.
To be eligible you must be responsible for paying the outstanding bill (the bill does not need to be in your name) and meet one of the following:
- hold a current concession card or
- have an income equal to or less than the Australian Government’s maximum income rate for part-age pensioners; contact Services Australia or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs for details of the maximum income rate
- be part of your energy provider’s hardship program or payment plan.
To apply, contact us on 1300 426 594 to review your eligibility criteria and we’ll provide you with an application number before completing an online form.
For more information visit the Queensland Government website for more information.
Centrepay
Centrepay is a voluntary bill paying service which is free for Centrelink customers. You can use Centrepay to arrange regular deductions from your Centrelink payment. You can choose when to start, change or stop using Centrepay.
To set up a payment you’ll need the 1st Energy Centrepay number 555117312V. The reference number can be found on your bill.
Visit Services Australia website for more information on how to register.
Financial Counselling
We can help you get connected to other organisations (for example financial counsellors) to provide further assistance.
Financial Counselling Australia
Ph 1800 007 007
National Debt Helpline
Ph 1800 007 007
Salvation Army
Ph 13 SALVOS (13 72 58)
St Vincent de Paul
Ph 03 9895 5800
Email: info@svdp-vic.org.au
Other assistance
Local Church, Community Centres or Community Organisations can also often help.
The Department of Social Services Grants Service Directory includes details of active grants and organisations that may be able to assist you and we encourage you to access these services.
There is also a wide range of useful resources, advice, calculators and links available on the Moneysmart website.
The Disaster Assist website also has information on how people in declared natural disaster areas can access disaster recovery payments.
Legal Advice
The National Legal Aid website provides information on how to access legal aid in your state.
Hardship Program and Policy
If you are experiencing difficulties paying your energy bills, contact the 1st Energy team to discuss how we can help you. Our 1st Energy Hardship policy sets out how 1st Energy will assist our customers to manage their energy usage and costs when participating in our hardship program.
You can find information about our hardship program and access our hardship policy here.
Having trouble paying your bill?
If you’re a South Australian residential customer facing financial difficulty, you’re entitled to a range of assistance options to help you pay your energy bills.
We’re here to help you and encourage you to call us on 1300 426 594, 8.30am to 6.00pm (AEST), Monday to Friday. If you need an interpreter please call 13 14 50.
How we can help
Payment options
There are flexible payment options available for you which include:
- the ability to make payments of an equal amount over a specified period
- options for making payments at different intervals
- extending due dates
- paying for energy use in advance.
We can help you set up a payment plan that works best for you.
If you are having trouble paying arrears and ongoing energy costs, we can assist via our Hardship Program with flexible payment arrangements that consider your debt, ongoing energy use and capacity to pay over the next 12 months
Lowering energy usage
We can give advice about your likely future energy costs as well as energy efficiency and appropriate pricing plans. If you are in arrears and unable to meet your ongoing energy costs we can also provide practical assistance, including an over the phone energy audit and energy saving plan.
Concessions and Rebates
We will help you sign up for any concessions and rebates you’re entitled to. Have a look at our concessions and rebates page for more information.
Emergency Electricity Payment Scheme (EEPS)
The Emergency Electricity Payment Scheme (EEPS) provides an emergency payment to help electricity customers in financial hardship.
This is up to $800, available once every 2 years, paid as a credit directly onto the electricity account.
You can get this if:
- you have an electricity debt
- you’re at risk of your electricity being disconnected, or it has already been disconnected.
EEPS is only accessible through the assistance of a financial counsellor, who will assess your financial situation before lodging an application.
For more information, visit the South Australian Government’s financial assistance website.
Centrepay
Centrepay is a voluntary bill paying service which is free for Centrelink customers. You can use Centrepay to arrange regular deductions from your Centrelink payment. You can choose when to start, change or stop using Centrepay.
To set up a payment you’ll need the 1st Energy Centrepay number 555117312V. The reference number can be found on your bill.
Visit Services Australia website for more information on how to register.
Financial Counselling
We can help you get connected to other organisations (for example financial counsellors) to provide further assistance.
Financial Counselling Australia
Ph 1800 007 007
National Debt Helpline
Ph 1800 007 007
Salvation Army
Ph 13 SALVOS (13 72 58)
St Vincent de Paul
Ph 03 9895 5800
Email: info@svdp-vic.org.au
Other assistance
Local Church, Community Centres or Community Organisations can also often help.
The Department of Social Services Grants Service Directory includes details of active grants and organisations that may be able to assist you and we encourage you to access these services.
There is also a wide range of useful resources, advice, calculators and links available on the Moneysmart website.
The Disaster Assist website also has information on how people in declared natural disaster areas can access disaster recovery payments.
Legal Advice
The National Legal Aid website provides information on how to access legal aid in your state.
Hardship Program and Policy
If you are experiencing difficulties paying your energy bills, contact the 1st Energy team to discuss how we can help you. Our 1st Energy Hardship policy sets out how 1st Energy will assist our customers to manage their energy usage and costs when participating in our hardship program.
You can find information about our hardship program and access our hardship policy here.