If you receive a pension from Services Australia or the Department of Veterans' Affairs, you may be entitled to a discount on fixed service charges on your water bill.
Check your bill before you apply
If you see 'Pensioner concession' under 'Other charges and credits', you already get this discount.
Before you apply
You must have an eligible card or pension
Eligible cards are either a Pensioner Concession Card issued by Services Australia or Department of Veterans' Affairs or a Veteran Gold Card embossed with:
- WAR WIDOW or WIDOWER
- EDA (Extreme Disablement Adjustment / Additional Disablement Amount)
- TTI (Temporarily Totally Incapacitated)
- TPI (Totally and Permanently Incapacitated).
The eligible pension is the Disability Compensation Payment at the TTI rate or Intermediate rate for veterans without a Veteran Gold Card.
These cards are NOT eligible
- Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
- Health Care Card
- Veteran White Card
- Veteran Orange Card.
You must occupy the property
Generally, the concession applies to the person whose name is on the property title deed. However, some non-homeowners may also be eligible.
If you're not the homeowner
You may also be eligible if you:
- are the homeowner's spouse
- are a life tenant
- are the beneficiary of a will
- occupy the property through a company trust
- have a family arrangement with the owner.
If the name on your eligible card doesn't match the owner's name on the property's title deed, you may need to provide documentation to confirm your eligibility.
The property can be
- single dwelling
- dual occupancy (2 houses on one block, or house with granny flat)
- strata or company title unit
- unit with a life-term lease in retirement village.
If there's more than one homeowner
Please submit separate online forms if more than one person with an eligible pension owns the property and they also live there.
If you're eligible, apply now
Apply online if you have a Pensioner Concession Card or Veteran Gold Card.
However, call us on 13 20 92 8am–5:30pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays) if you receive:
- a Disability Compensation Payment at the TTI rate or Intermediate rate and don't have a Veteran Gold Card
- an Additional Disablement Amount, even if you have a Veteran Gold Card.
We'll ask you for documentation.
Have your Pensioner Concession Card or Veteran Gold Card ready to fill in the online form.
See how much you can save
The pensioner concession applies to fixed service charges on each bill. The table shows the maximum concession, or discount, that can be applied based on a 92-day quarter. The exact concession for your property depends on the services you have and the relationship between the owners.
For example
If you pay typical service charges for a house with water and wastewater totalling $859.05 a year, your concession could add up to $679.20 a year.
| Service | Maximum quarterly service charge | Maximum quarterly concession |
|---|---|---|
Water service | $26.65 | $26.65 |
Wastewater (sewerage) service | $189.88 | $144.56 |
Stormwater (if applicable) | $30.26 (houses) | $13.68 (houses) |
Total concessions vary
Pensioner concessions are calculated based on ownership and occupancy of the premises:
- You'll receive 100% of the concession if you own your home with a spouse, even if they don't receive a pension.
- You'll receive a smaller concession if you own your home with other people who don't receive a pension.
- You'll receive a smaller concession if you own your home with other people who receive a pension but who don't live with you.
Automatic additional savings
If you receive a pensioner concession, you'll be automatically entitled to a reduced first callout fee for WaterFix® Residential. We'll repair minor visible leaks from taps or toilets on your property at no additional cost. Plus, you can save water and money each year by fixing leaks and installing water-efficient devices.