All You Need To Know About Air Conditioning Government Rebates In Western Australia
Whether you have ducted air conditioning, split system air conditioning, or a portable air conditioning unit in your home, one thing they all have in common is that they cost you money. Those costs include the original purchase price and installation, if applicable. Maintenance, cleaning, repair, and running expenses have energy bills, including the electricity used to operate your air conditioning.
For many, depending on where they live, the cost of air conditioning is considered essential due to the climate of the location. For example, residents in cities such as Perth, WA, will need air conditioning more due to almost constant high temperatures than in Hobart, Tasmania, where average temperatures are below 20 degrees centigrade throughout the year, including in summer.
Some argue that this places an unfair burden on those citizens who live in Western Australia compared to those living in more temperate areas. Suppose you live in Perth and are considering investing in an air conditioning system from the professionals at Air & Water. In that case, this article will briefly examine what government financial support or rebates are available for those in Western Australia who purchase and use air conditioning in their homes.
Energy Concession Extension Scheme
For residents and homeowners in Western Australia, the primary financial support for conditioning comes from a program called the Energy Concession Extension Scheme, which is shortened to ECES.
The ECES is paid out annually to those entitled to it, and its purpose is to provide financial assistance for energy costs, specifically electric bills related to air conditioning in the home. The scheme has three main elements which are:
- Energy Assistance Payment
- Dependent Child Rebate
- Air Conditioning Rebate
Whilst only one of the three elements specifies an air conditioning rebate, their energy bills will be reduced if someone is entitled to all three. It also follows that not qualifying for Energy Assistance Payment or Dependent Child Rebate does not preclude someone from qualifying for the Air Conditioning Rebate and being able to reduce their electricity bills with that.
Energy Concession Scheme Eligibility
As with any scheme, eligibility rules specify who can and cannot claim it. Firstly, those who pay their bills to either Horizon Power or Synergy must contact those companies to discuss their eligibility, as they cannot claim via this scheme. Other electrical company customers, including Alinta Sales and Perth Energy, may be eligible if they meet other criteria.
The following criterion is the accommodation type, with only certain types of accommodation being eligible. These are:
- Apartment buildings
- Retirement villages
- Long-stay caravan parks
- Tenants whose landlords recoup electricity costs for bills they have paid to Horizon Power or Synergy
Air Conditioning Rebate
Eligibility for this rebate will first depend on where your home is located within Western Australia and, more specifically, whether that location experiences prolonged periods of heat discomfort.
For those living in the eligible locations, the following criteria that must be met are having a WA Seniors Card and any of the following:
- Veterans’ Affairs Concession Card
- Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card
- Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
An alternative means of qualifying for the Air Conditioning Rebate is having dependent children and any of the following:
- Veterans’ Affairs Veterans’ Concession Card
- Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card
- Veterans’ Affairs Veterans’
- Centrelink Health Care Card
Finally, for anyone experiencing extreme financial hardship and who might be at risk of being disconnected, the Western Austrian Government’s HardsGovernment’sGrant Scheme (HUGS) is an option to consider.
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