Webinar: Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme (HEEAS) 4 November 2015

Transcription

1 Webinar: Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme (HEEAS) 4 November 2015

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3 If you are having audio problems please call and enter the code 1234 to listen to the audio on your phone. If you do dial in, please mute your phone to prevent feedback. Essential Services team contact details: Telephone:

4 Session outline 1. Government concessions and rebates for energy 2. What is the Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme? 3. Eligibility criteria 4. Access to the Scheme 5. Application process 6. Completing the application form 7. Outcome and appeals process 8. Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland 9. Q&A with Deborah Guy

5 Energy concessions Electricity Rebate Reticulated Natural Gas Rebate Drought relief Medical Cooling and Heating Electricity Concession Scheme Life Support Rebate Essential Medical Equipment payment Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme (HEEAS)

6 What is HEEAS? HEEAS can help to avoid disconnection if your household has experienced an unexpected increase in expenses or reduction in income that means you cannot afford your electricity or gas bill. It is designed for one-off emergency assistance to help pay off a debt of more than $100. Provides payment towards your bill up to a maximum of $720 There are restrictions around how often you can apply: You can only apply once in a 12-month period for 2 consecutive years. If you have applied twice in 24 months, then you cannot apply again for another 24 months. Intended for existing energy accounts - you cannot apply if you have been disconnected or closed your account.

7 Eligibility criteria - 1 To apply, you must meet ONE of the following criteria. You must either Have a concession card; OR Be on a payment plan or hardship program; OR Have a low income (less than the equivalent to the maximum rate of the part age pension)

8 Eligibility criteria - 2 You must also have experienced one of the following in the previous 12 months: An unexpected increase in your housing costs to more than 30% of your income; OR An unexpected increase in your energy costs to more than 10% of your income; OR An unexpected increase in essential expenses of more than $100; OR An unexpected decrease in income of more than $100 per fortnight; OR Some other natural or family disaster or crisis impacting your ability to pay your energy bill

9 Access to HEEAS There are a number of steps you need to take before you can access a HEEAS payment. Application forms are only available in hardcopy and must be mailed to you by your energy retailer Many forms are never returned (only 52% of forms that are sent out are returned) Many applications get rejected (of the forms that are returned, 59% are successful in receiving a payment) The average payment under the HEEAS is around $577

10 Application process Request HEEAS from retailer 10 days Application form arrives from retailer 14 days Post completed form to government 14 days HEEAS outcome advised by government Eligibility criteria apply Once form is generated, there is a stop action on any disconnection process Application due date noted on the form Contact Concession Services if an extension is required Reply paid envelope is included with form. You may be contacted for more details. Confirmation letter received & payment credited on next bill If unsuccessful, you have 28 days to appeal HEEAS process can take up to 6 weeks Keep paying as much as you can afford off your bill during the process

11 Tips: Accessing the form Contact your retailer as soon as possible You cannot apply if you have been disconnected or closed your account Helps if you have on a payment plan or hardship program with your retailer Ask for the Scheme by name Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme or HEEAS Keep a record of the contact with your retailer (name, time, date and reference number) If you have difficulty getting your retailer to send you a form, contact the Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland

12 Hardship Programs Ergon Energy Customer Assist Program Origin Energy Power On Program AGL Energy Staying Connected Program EnergyAustralia EnergyAssist Program Lumo Energy Energy Account Support and Enquiries (EASE) Click Energy Financial Hardship Policy Dodo Power and Gas Hardship Policy Simply Energy Hardship Policy

13 Page 1 Eligibility criteria Privacy / Consent

14 Page 2 Contact details Account information Applicant s details Nominee s details

15 Page 3 Household details (optional) Type of housing Eligibility criteria Concession card details Household income and expenses (see tips on next slide)

16 Tips: Completing the form Your application will be rejected if it appears you can afford to pay off the debt within your current income and expenses Income is the amount after tax but before any Centrepay deductions It is important to capture all expenses for all family members (including children) Include a fortnightly allocation for all your annual expenses You can attach a separate budget to the form

17 Tips: Completing the form Don t forget to include all your expenses. Think about: $ Annual expenses - car registration, car service, home and contents insurance, car insurance $ Education and schooling - textbooks, uniforms, sport, activities, excursions $ Entertainment - internet, mobile phone, TV subscriptions, Foxtel $ Finance - credit card payments, SPER fines, rent-to-buy payments, loan repayments, Centrepay deductions $ Health and medical - glasses, dental costs, medicines, vet fees, gym membership. $ Baby products nappies, formula, clothes, toiletries, etc. $ Other expenses holidays, Christmas and birthday gifts, cigarettes, Chrisco payments, etc.

18 Page Option 1: 4 Housing costs increased Option 2: Energy costs increased Option 3: High unexpected expense Option 4: Decrease in income Option 5: Other circumstances

19 Tips: Completing the form Reason 1: Housing costs increased to 30% of income You must provide: How much you paid for your rent or mortgage payments previously How much you pay after the increase The date of the increase (must be within previous 12 months) The reason for the increase Eligible: A recent substantial increase in rent payments Not eligible: If you signed up to a new lease or mortgage where your housing costs were over 30% of your income as this is not considered unexpected Customers in public housing (where rents are generally capped at 25% of household income)

20 Tips: Completing the form Reason 2: Energy costs increased to 10% of income You must provide: How much you paid for your energy bills previously How much you pay after the increase The date of the increase (must be within previous 12 months) The reason for the increase Eligible: Increase in energy costs due to a medical need Increase in energy costs due to a faulty appliance (i.e. hot water system) Not eligible: Increase in energy costs due to not receiving a bill in a long time Increase in energy costs due to using more energy for heating/cooling due to the weather Increase in energy costs with no explanation identified

21 Tips: Completing the form Reason 3: Unexpected increase in essential expenses You must provide: A brief description of what the expense was How much it was (must be more than $100) The date of the expense (must be within previous 12 months) Eligible: Purchase and/or repair of an essential household item or security item (i.e. car repairs, washing machine, fridge, hot water system, outside door or window) Direct funeral expenses of an immediate family member Relocation costs (i.e. removal truck, hire of trailer) Substantial unexpected medical expenses (i.e. optical and dental expenses) High travel costs to attend medical care over 500kms may be considered Not eligible: Purchase of non-essential household items (i.e. microwave, furniture, TV, computer) Regular or expected expenses (i.e. bills, school fees, car rego, rental bond) Hire purchase agreements, rent-to-buy or loan payments Travel costs to see a sick relative or attend a funeral

22 Tips: Completing the form Reason 4: Unexpected decrease in household income You must provide: What your income was before What your income is after the event The date of the decrease in income (must be within previous 12 months) The reasons for the decrease in income Eligible: Loss of employment or decreased hours at work Loss of income due to relationship breakdown or family separation Late /ceased / decreased child maintenance payments Loss of a family member Loss of income due to illness, injury or disability Unforeseen cessation or substantial decrease in Centrelink payments Not eligible: Decrease in Centrelink payments due to deductions or penalties Fluctuation in casual work hours Ongoing low income Decrease in income amounting to less than $100 per fortnight

23 Tips: Completing the form Reason 5: Other unexpected events You must provide: Brief description of the incident or event Date of the incident Includes events such as: Natural disaster Family disaster Domestic or family violence Other events to be assessed on a case-by-case basis

24 Tips: Completing the form Most common reasons for applying: Loss or decrease in employment Breakdown of household / family separation Decrease in income Car repairs Purchase of a new essential appliance Common reasons applications are unsuccessful: No eligible reason provided Reason provided occurred outside previous 12 months Hardship or low income is not a sufficient reason application must demonstrate that the customer has also experienced an unexpected or unforeseen occurrence in the last 12 months

25 Page 5 Signature Return the form to Concessions Services in Reply Paid envelope to GPO Box 806 Brisbane Qld 4001 If you need help completing the form, call Concessions Services on

26 Outcome of application If your application is approved You will receive a letter advising you of the outcome and how much you will receive (up to the maximum cap of $720). The grant amount is calculated on the information provided on the application form, as well as information about your energy usage provided by your retailer. The decision on the grant amount is final. There is no provision for appeal regarding the grant amount. The grant is applied to your next bill by your energy retailer If you owe more than the grant amount provided, you need to make arrangements with your retailer to pay the outstanding amount

27 Outcome of application If your application is not approved You will receive a letter outlining why you have not been successful. Some of the common reasons include: You have already received assistance through the Scheme in the previous 12 months (or twice in the previous 24 months) The balance owing on your electricity or gas bill is less than $100 Based on the household income and expenses provided, there is sufficient income left to pay the outstanding amount through a payment plan The reason provided is not an eligible reason or occurred outside the previous 12 months There was insufficient information provided on the form in this case you may be requested to provide for further information You can appeal the decision. You have 28 days to contact the Concessions Services to initiate an appeal. Any additional information provided must be supported with documentary evidence.

28 Energy & Water Ombudsman Queensland (EWOQ) What is EWOQ? Free and independent umpire to resolve disputes relating to electricity and reticulated gas (and water in for customers in South East Queensland) Can I contact them about my issue? EWOQ can help resolve complaints about your energy company You can only contact EWOQ after you have already contacted your energy provider about the problem EWOQ can investigate issues related to accessing HEEAS if your retailer has not provided appropriate assistance EWOQ can help to identify systemic problems in the market X Cannot cover complaints relating to on-supply, bulk hot water or bottled gas X Cannot cover complaints about the Queensland Government Scheme or decisions made by Concessions Services How do I contact them? Call or visit Or lodge a complaint online at

29 More information You will receive an from us with: A copy of these slides Links to relevant information online Link to an online survey to give us feedback on this webinar Invitation to our next Energy Webinar on Tuesday 8 December on Comparing energy market offers in South East Queensland

30 Questions? Please type your questions into the chat window and we will answer them now Or questions to:

31 The End