Improving the Application of Concessions to Bills Rule Change - March 2025
In March 2025, The Salvation Army provided a submission to the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) in response to their rule change project consultation for Improving the application of concessions to bills.
Through our Moneycare financial counselling service, The Salvation Army has experience assisting community members to access concessions. Our community members have experience of highly unclear and confusing sign-up processes, feelings of disempowerment, and negative financial impacts from unsuccessful applications.
The Salvation Army’s recommendations included that the AEMC create rules, guidelines and resources for energy retailers that:
- Set clear minimum standards for bill and sign-up process accessibility;
- Require retailers to make additional inquiries for concession eligibility both at sign-up and during the life of the energy account;
- Create clearer pathways for recourse when concessions, subsidies and rebates are not applied to an account; and
- Consider additional barriers that may be faced by:
- consumers experiencing disability or mental ill-health;
- people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities;
- young people and new energy retailer customers;
- victim-survivors of family domestic violence; and
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers.
The Salvation Army thanks the AEMC and the Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council for the compassionate and important work being undertaken for this rule change project. The Salvation Army will continue to advocate for financial inclusion.