NSW Medical Energy Rebate
What is the NSW Medical Energy Rebate?
The Medical Energy Rebate is a NSW Government initiative that offers electricity bill relief for people who struggle to self-regulate their body temperature during hot and/or cold weather conditions. Eligible account holders in NSW receive payments in quarterly instalments every financial year.1
Applying for the NSW Medical Energy Rebate
What are the eligibility requirements?
To be eligible for the NSW Medical Energy Rebate, your electricity account should be in your name and for your principal place of residence in NSW. Additionally, you or a person living with you must:1
- Not be able to self-regulate body temperature
- Have been treated by a registered medical practitioner for three months or more
- Have at least one primary qualifying condition and one secondary qualifying condition (these are listed on the Medical Energy Rebate application form).
What are some of the qualifying medical conditions for the Medical Energy Rebate?
The NSW Medical Energy Rebate is generally for electricity account holders in NSW who have the following conditions:2
- Spinal cord injuries (including quadriplegia and paraplegia above T7 level)
- Strokes, brain injuries and neurodegenerative disorders
- Advanced multiple sclerosis
- Severe burns, skin conditions and sweating disorders
- Hypersensitivity to extremes of environmental temperatures.
Eligible cardholders
You may be eligible if you hold one of these cards from Services Australia (Centrelink) or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA):1
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card or Low Income Health Care Card
- DVA Gold Card.
While you can’t access the Medical Energy Rebate with a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, you may be eligible instead for the Seniors Energy Rebate.
How do I apply for the rebate?
Once you’ve determined that you’ve met the eligibility requirements, you can download a Medical Declaration form via the Service NSW website. You and a registered medical practitioner will have to fill out the relevant sections.
You can submit your completed form online, via email or post.
Important to know
What other rebates are available in NSW?
Depending on your circumstances, you might also be eligible for some other NSW government energy rebates, including:
- Family energy rebate. Available once a year for NSW retail customers with dependent children, this rebate helps eligible families save on their electricity bills.3
- NSW gas rebate. People with an eligible card from Services Australia or DVA could receive a set amount back on quarterly gas bills from the NSW Government.4
- Seniors energy rebate. This rebate can help self-funded retirees with their energy bills. If you’re not a self-funded retiree, you might be eligible for the low-income household rebate instead.5
- Low-income household rebate. Low-income earners in NSW can get a paid credit on their quarterly energy bills, up to a determined limit.6
- Life support rebate. You could receive this rebate if you have to regularly run life support equipment from your home, such as ventilators and dialysis machines.7
Do other states have a medical energy rebate?
Yes, other states and territories in Australia have schemes similar to the NSW Medical Energy rebate.
- Queensland: Medical Cooling and Heating Electricity Concession Scheme8
- Victoria: Medical Cooling Concession9
- South Australia: Medical heating and cooling concession10
- Western Australia: Thermoregulatory Dysfunction Energy Subsidy11
- Tasmania: Medical cooling or heating concession12
- The ACT: Medical Heating and Cooling rebate13
- Northern Territory: Medical Support Allowance14
This information is accurate as of 11 November 2024. Always check the relevant government website for up-to-date information on your state or territory’s medical energy rebate.
Meet our Head of Energy, Meredith O’Brien
As the Head of Energy at Compare the Market, Meredith O’Brien believes in educating Australian customers about the everchanging gas and electricity market so they can adjust their energy usage habits and get the most out of their energy plans.
Meredith has six years within the energy industry, following 15 years of experience in financial services and is currently studying a Master of Business Administration. Meredith is a dedicated customer advocate who is passionate about empowering Australians to find the right products to suit their needs by removing the confusion from comparing.
Want to know more about energy?
1 Service NSW, NSW Government. Apply for the NSW Medical Energy Rebate (retail customers). Accessed November 2024.
2 Service NSW, NSW Government. NSW Medical Energy Rebate – Application form: Retail customers. Accessed November 2024.
3 Service NSW, NSW Government. Apply for the NSW Family Energy Rebate (retail customers). Accessed November 2024.
4 Service NSW, NSW Government. Apply for the NSW Gas Rebate (retail customers). Accessed November 2024.
5 Service NSW, NSW Government. Apply for the Seniors Energy Rebate. Accessed November 2024.
6 Service NSW, NSW Government. Apply for the NSW Low Income Household Rebate (retail customers). Accessed November 2024.
7 Service NSW, NSW Government. Apply for the NSW Life Support Energy Rebate (retail customers). Accessed November 2024.
8 Queensland Government. Medical Cooling and Heating Electricity Concession Scheme. Accessed November 2024.
9 Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, State Government of Victoria. Concessions & benefits. Accessed November 2024.
10 Government of South Australia. Medical heating and cooling concession. Accessed November 2024.
11 Government of Western Australia. Apply for the Thermoregulatory Dysfunction Energy Subsidy. Accessed November 2024.
12 Tasmanian Government. Concessions & Discounts. Accessed November 2024.
13 ActewAGL. Medical Heating and Cooling rebate terms and conditions. Accessed November 2024.
14 Northern Territory Government. Electricity concessions. Accessed November 2024.