Why we are collecting your personal information
Service NSW is collecting your personal information as part of delivering customer service functions for the Office of Energy and Climate Change (OECC) which is part of the NSW Treasury.
Service NSW is collecting personal information to enable applications for the Seniors Energy Rebate (the Rebate) and the National Energy Bill Relief Household Payment. You will receive the National Energy Bill Relief Household Payment automatically if your household has not already received this payment in the 2023/24 financial year and you are found eligible for the Rebate.
Any information you provide in your application to Service NSW will be disclosed to OECC. Some of your personal information will also be shared with:
- Services Australia and/or the Department of Veterans' Affairs to verify the status of your Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
- your electricity retailer to ensure there is only one National Energy Bill Relief Household Payment per household.
Types of personal information we collect
Service NSW collects the following personal information from you directly when you apply for the Seniors Energy Rebate:
- your MyServiceNSW Account details, including your email address, full name, date of birth, and contact details (residential address and mobile number)
- your proof of identity document details; for example, your NSW driver licence and Medicare card details
- your Commonwealth Seniors Health Card details
- your electricity retailer name
- a copy of your most recent electricity bill issued on or after 1 July in the current financial year
- your National Metering Identifier (NMI) (if you have one)
- your bank account details
- whether you have already received any other National Energy Relief Household Payment this financial year (yes, no)
- a completed ‘Service NSW Letter of Authority’, if you are applying for the Rebate on behalf of someone else.
We may also ask you to provide other additional information or documentation in support of your application that includes your personal information.
How we will use and disclose this information
Service NSW may use the personal information we collect about you to:
- assess your eligibility for the Rebate
- verify your identity documents with the Document Verification Service
- verify your Commonwealth Seniors Health Card with Services Australia and/or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs via Centrelink Confirmation eServices (CCeS)
- process a payment to you if your application is successful
- carry out auditing and compliance activities to confirm that the relevant eligibility criteria have been met. With the consent you provide at the end of the application, this may include making enquiries of third parties to assess or confirm the information provided
- evaluate and report on the program using de-identified or aggregated data (information that doesn't identify you)
- communicate with you about your application, including to discuss your application or to request additional information
- assist you with any enquiries or complaints you may have in relation to your application
- share your personal information with the Department of Customer Service so they can send notifications about the Seniors Energy Rebate to you on our behalf.
Service NSW maintains and uses information collected about you for internal administrative purposes, including for the purpose of our interactions with you.
If you consent, Service NSW and OECC may also contact you via email about other similar grants, vouchers and rebates that are available.
How OECC uses and discloses your personal information
OECC may use and disclose your personal information to:
- cross-check your application against other personal information that OECC holds to confirm your eligibility for the National Energy Bill Relief Household Payment
- share your personal details and details of your energy account (including NMI), to your energy retailer, as required, for the purpose of verifying your ongoing eligibility for the National Energy Bill Relief Household Payment. OECC may also request that your energy retailer provide de-identified information about your electricity usage, for example, to estimate the impact of the Seniors Energy Rebate on your electricity bill for the purposes of reporting
- assess your eligibility if you apply for future rebates and/or payments administered by OECC.
Service NSW will not disclose your personal information to anyone else unless you provide your consent, or we are required or authorised to do so by law.
Whether you are required by law to provide us with this information
Providing us with the requested information is not required by law. However, if you choose not to provide us with the requested information, we may not be able to process your application for the Rebate.
More information
Please visit our privacy statement for more information about how Service NSW handles your personal information. This includes how:
- you can access and seek correction of the information
- to make a privacy enquiry or complaint
- information is securely stored and
- to contact us.
Service NSW is located at 2-24 Rawson Place Sydney NSW 2000.
For more information about privacy at OECC, please contact: Information Access & Privacy Unit, Locked Bag 5022, 4 Parramatta Square, Parramatta NSW 2124
Phone: 02 9860 1440
Email: privacy@dpie.nsw.gov.au