Apply for the NSW Life Support Energy Rebate (retail customers)

Introduction

The NSW Life Support Energy Rebate helps pay electricity bills for people who need, or have someone living with them who needs, to use approved energy-intensive life support equipment at home (such as home dialysis, ventilators and oxygen concentrators).

The NSW Life Support Energy Rebate is up to $1,638 per retail (on-market) household, per financial year, depending on the equipment type.

If you are a retail (on-market) customer, you need to contact your electricity retailer to apply.

If you are an embedded network (on-supply) electricity customer, you can apply for the NSW Life Support Rebate (on supply).

Note: Embedded network (‘on-supply') means your electricity is supplied by an embedded network – such as in a residential community, retirement village or strata scheme – and you receive your electricity bill or invoice from the strata manager or community/village operator. If you’re not sure whether you're an on-supply customer, contact the electricity provider named on your electricity bill.

Eligibility

You may be eligible if you live in NSW and all the following apply:

• you have an electricity account for your home in NSW
• you're the account holder (the account and bill must be in your name)
• you or someone living with you has been assessed by a registered medical practitioner to verify that the use of the approved life support equipment is required at their principal place of residence.

What you need

• the completed form – 'NSW Life Support Rebate Retail Customer Application'
• your registered medical practitioner to complete an assessment and complete and sign the Life Support Medical Practitioner section of the form.

How to apply

1. Check you meet the eligibility requirements for the rebate.
2. Select the 'Download application form' button.
3. Complete the 'applicant' and 'patient' sections in the application form.
4. Ask your medical practitioner (GP or specialist) to complete the relevant section and sign the declaration.
5. Contact your electricity retailer and provide them with a copy of your completed form.

More information

• You'll need to reapply for this rebate every 4 years.
• Some machines have a part-time and full-time (24 hour a day) rate rebate. Your doctor will need to indicate on the form the rate you use the equipment. 
• You can receive more than one rebate if your doctor has prescribed more than one type of machine, such as an oxygen concentrator and a ventilator.
• If more than one person uses the approved equipment, you can receive multiple rebates, but you need to submit a separate application form for each patient.
• You'll receive the rebate as a daily credit on each quarterly electricity bill. The amount of the rebate depends on the machine and the number of days in the billing period.
• If you change energy providers, you can continue to receive the rebate by submitting a new, signed application form to your new provider.