The Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA) Scheme helps eligible residential energy customers who are experiencing difficulty paying their current electricity and /or natural gas bill(s) (in part or in full) due to a short-term financial hardship, crisis or emergency, such as loss of income, unexpected costs, or natural disaster.
EAPA is intended to keep NSW residents connected to essential energy services and is intended as a one-off emergency support program. EAPA is not intended for ongoing support or debt management. Applicants are assessed by an approved EAPA Provider who will determine eligibility. Payments are sent directly to the eligible customer's energy account.
Applying for EAPA involves an eligibility assessment. EAPA payment limits apply and are based on your assessment.
1. Definitions
1.1 The following definitions apply to these Terms and Conditions:
a. Agency means Service NSW
b. Applicant/s or You/you means a person who is making an Application
c. Application means an application for assistance under the EAPA Scheme
d. Energy Seller means a retailer authorised by the Australian Energy Regulator to sell energy (electricity or gas) to a person for premises or an exempt seller under the National Energy Retail Law (NSW)
e. Department means the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water who is the EAPA Provider responsible for deciding Applications
f. EAPA or EAPA Scheme means the Energy Accounts Payment Assistance Scheme
g. EAPA Provider means an organisation that is approved to issue EAPA payments under the EAPA Scheme
h. EAPA Payment means a credit issued to an energy account under the EAPA Scheme
i. Eligibility Criteria is defined in clause 2 of these Terms and Conditions.
These Terms and Conditions apply to Applicants applying for EAPA. By applying you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.
2. Eligibility Criteria
2.1 You confirm that you meet all of the following Eligibility Criteria for assistance under the EAPA Scheme:
a. In relation to the energy account for which you are seeking an EAPA Payment under the EAPA Scheme:
i. you are an energy account holder (i.e. the energy account is in your name solely or jointly, and your name is either on the energy bill for the account or you have authorisation to act on the account) with the energy seller;
ii. the energy account is for a NSW residential premises and on a residential or rural tariff;
iii. the energy account’s service address is your primary place of residence; and
iv. the energy account is for the metered supply of residential electricity or natural gas, and not for the supply of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) bottles or hot water.
v. the energy account has not already been paid in full, as an EAPA payment cannot be used to place an energy account into credit.
vi. the energy account is not a business account
vii. the energy account is not closed and/or a final bill has not been issued, as EAPA payments cannot be applied to a closed account.
b. You are currently experiencing financial hardship (you do not have enough income to meet basic needs of food, housing, energy supply and health) and can:
i. demonstrate you are going without basic needs to pay an energy bill; or
ii. do not have enough money to pay your energy bill and as a result may face disconnection, or have been disconnected.
2.2 You agree that you will notify the Department as soon as possible if any of your circumstances change which may affect your ability to meet the Eligibility Criteria.
3. Appointing an Authorised Person
3.1 You can appoint a person to act for you (‘the Authorised Person’) in relation to your application and assessment for assistance under the EAPA Scheme by completing the Authority to Act form.
3.2 When you authorise a person to act on your behalf, the Agency and the Department may:
a. request information about you from the Authorised Person
b. provide information about you to the Authorised Person
c. deal with the Authorised Person as if it was dealing with You
d. still contact you if required.
3.3 The same obligations and responsibilities apply to you in relation to information provided by the Authorised Person to support your application.
3.4 Appointing the Authorised Person does not prevent you from dealing with the Agency or the Department concerning your EAPA Application.
3.5 The Authorised Person may be asked to provide evidence that they are acting on your behalf.
4. Providing false or misleading information
4.1 You are responsible for all information you provide in your Application and assessment and otherwise to the Department.
4.2 You acknowledge that you understand that it is an offence under the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) to provide false, misleading or fraudulent information to a public authority.
4.3 If you provide false, misleading or fraudulent information to the Agency or Department in your Application or otherwise, the Department may take any or all of the following actions:
a. refuse to deal with your current Application;
b. refuse to deal with any future Application that you make; and
c. advise any relevant public authority.
5. Assessment of your application and providing further information to the Department
5.1 You acknowledge that you understand that the Department will assess your Application in accordance with the Eligibility Criteria and these Terms and Conditions.
5.2 The Department, solely at its discretion, will make a decision for your Application in accordance with clause 5.1 of these Terms and Conditions.
5.3 The Department may at any time require you to provide any of the following:
a. information to support your application, including to verify your identity;
b. information or evidence to demonstrate you meet the Eligibility Criteria;
c. a full copy of your most recent energy (gas or electricity) bill, which includes:
i. First and last name (your account and bill must be in your name)
ii. Energy seller's name
iii. Energy account number
iv. National Meter Identifier (NMI) number for electricity bills, or
v. Delivery Point Identifier (DPI) and Meter Installation Registration Number (MIRN) for gas bills, or
vi. a unique meter number for your electricity or natural gas service
vii. supply address
d. details or evidence of any hardship circumstances or crisis relevant to the application
e. information or evidence to allow the Department to assess your application in accordance with these Terms and Conditions, e.g. termination notice or medical expenses;
f. information or evidence for the Department to assess if you have provided false, misleading or fraudulent information; and
g. information or evidence to allow the Department to consider if you have received assistance under the EAPA Scheme in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.
5.4 If you do not provide information or evidence requested in accordance with clause 5.3, the Department may refuse to deal with your Application.
5.5 The Department may disclose any of the information you provide to a relevant third party such as your energy seller, other EAPA Providers or the Federal Government's Services Australia to verify your identity, energy bill information or financial crisis for the purpose of processing your application.
5.6 Any information you provide with your application or that is provided on your behalf by the Authorised Person, may be audited by the Department.
5.7 EAPA payments are sent electronically to your energy seller and used to credit your home electricity or gas account. EAPA payments can't be used to put your energy account into credit or if your account has already been paid.
6. Closure, suspension or variation of the EAPA Scheme
6.1 The Department reserves the right to, at any time, unilaterally do any of the following:
a. vary:
i. these Terms and Conditions; or
ii. the process for making an Application;
temporarily stop accepting and processing new and/or current Applications; or
b. permanently stop accepting and processing new and/or current Applications.
6.2 Any variation, suspension or closure made under clause 6.1 will be notified on the Department and Agency website.
6.3 The NSW Government also reserves the right to, at any time, permanently suspend or cancel the EAPA Scheme.
7. General
7.1 The Agency is in no way responsible or accountable for any decisions in relation to the EAPA Scheme or assessment of your EAPA Application made by our partner agency, the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, at any time.
7.2 No rights under these Terms and Conditions will be waived except by notice in writing signed by both You and the Department.
7.3 The EAPA Scheme, these Terms and Conditions and all related documents are governed by the laws of the State of NSW.
7.4 Where the Department has issued a notice to the email address provided in an Application, the notification will be deemed to have been received by You immediately upon receipt of electronic transmission confirmation.
7.5 Any payments made to You under the EAPA Scheme may be audited.