Help offered to get power saving bonus

ANOTHER round of the State Government’s Power Saving Bonus opened on 24 March and the two-hundred-and-fifty-dollar payment is available to all Victorian residential electricity account holders.

Euroa MP Annabelle Cleeland encouraged all those who were eligible to make a claim.

“Applying for the Power Saving Bonus can go a long way to relieving some financial stress and ensuring the bills can be paid on time,” she said.

“The easiest way to apply for the PSB is by visiting compare.energy.vic.gov.au, making sure you have a copy of your electricity bill handy.

“If you don’t have internet access the Energy Compare team can assist you with your application on 1800 000 832.”

Heathcote Community House is one of several partnership organisations offering in-person help to access the money.

Executive officer Vicki Forde said anyone who needed support in making an application should get in touch.

“We’ve got bookings available up until the middle of May so you can come in and get it sorted,” she said.

Ms Forde said it was important to understand all the information on your electricity bill.

“Companies are now required to tell you if you’re receiving the best offer available,” she said.

“It’s not always easy to find on the bill and it’s not always easy to understand.”

The Community House service aims to make the claim process as easy as possible.

“You need to have an email address, for example, and that may stop some people, so we’ll help you get an email address,” Ms Forde said.

“Whatever we need to do support you, we will.

“We’ve put through heaps of applications in the last couple of rounds, but there are still those who don’t know about it.

To make an appointment with Heathcote Community House to help get the $250 Power Saving Bonus call 5433 2820.