Most of the people in Warrnambool who are eligible for a $250 payment from the Victorian Government haven’t applied for it, with the January 31 deadline fast approaching.
As part of its 2020/2021 budget, the Victorian Government introduced a one-off $250 Power Saving Bonus to provide direct support to vulnerable Victorian households experiencing energy bill stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Warrnambool Mayor Cr Richard Ziegeler said that the West Warrnambool Neighbourhood House has helped almost 200 people successfully apply for the Power Saving Bonus, with more appointments available in January.
“At this stage, there are as many as 7800 people within the municipality who could be eligible for the Victorian Government’s $250 Power Saving Bonus but haven’t yet applied for it,” he said.
“Many of the people eligible for the Power Saving Bonus may not have applied for it because they are not confident computer users or they may not have access to the internet at home.
If you think you could be eligible for the Bonus, get in touch with Jill Bourke at the West Warrnambool Neighbourhood House, she knows the Power Saving Bonus application process like the back of her hand and can save you a lot of potential headaches filling in the online form, having helped so many people already.
“Once you’ve spoken with Jill and set up an appointment, it only takes about 5 minutes for her to process the information and submit your application.
“If you bring a complete electricity bill and your proof of concession, the hardest decision you’ll have to make is whether you’d like to receive a cheque for your $250 or to have it deposited directly into your bank account.”
To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:
• Be a Victorian residential energy consumer (i.e. have a residential electricity account)
• Be receiving payments under one of the following concession programs:
- Centrelink Pensioner Concession
- JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Austudy or Abstudy
- Department of Veterans Affairs Pensioner Concession or DVA Gold Card
Holders of Health Care Cards who are not recipients of Youth Allowance, JobSeeker, Austudy or Abstudy are not eligible.
To schedule a time with Jill, call 0418 944 276.
Applications for the Power Saving Bonus can also be made online on the Victorian Energy Compare website.