Boost for region's pensioners with increase to Hunter Water pension rebate
In welcome news for Lower Hunter pensioners, the NSW Government has announced a $700,000 boost to Hunter Water’s pension rebate.
The additional funding increases the rebate to $330 per eligible property, bringing Hunter Water’s total assistance for pensioners to more than $15 million.
It comes as the region’s pensioners are already experiencing falling water bills as a result of new prices introduced by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) on 1 July 2020. The average pension household will now pay $722 for water, wastewater and drainage services this financial year, down from $748 in 2019-20.
Minister for Water, Property and Housing, Minister Pavey said this is a welcome boost for Lower Hunter pensioners and will put more money back into the pockets of those in need.
“Hunter Water’s pension rebate assistance will total $15.2 million this financial year with the inclusion of this extra funding, which is a great investment across the region."
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter and Cost of Living, Catherine Cusack, encouraged eligible pensioners not yet registered for the rebate to contact Hunter Water.
“There are close to 44,000 pensioners who are already registered with Hunter Water and will receive the increase automatically. For those eligible customers who are not yet registered, please contact Hunter Water online or over the phone to enrol for the rebate.
“Of course the pension rebate isn’t the only form of assistance provided by Hunter Water. I’d encourage anyone experiencing difficulty paying their water bills to get in touch with Hunter Water to see how they can help, with options such as payment extensions and support for tenants available."
To access the pension rebate, eligible pension concession card holders and DVA Gold Card holders need to contact Hunter Water to provide their property details and Services Australia (Centrelink) Pension or CRN number.
The pension rebate is provided by the NSW Government under the Community Service Obligation (CSO). Eligible Hunter Water customers will see the increased rebate on their second and third water bills of 2020-21.
Hunter Water pension rebate
For more information on the eligibility criteria or to apply.