With the cost of living continuing to put pressure on household budgets across New South Wales, energy bills remain one of the biggest financial stressors for many families. But there’s good news: the NSW Government has a free online tool that can help you find out exactly what support and savings are available to you and it only takes five minutes to use.
What Is the Energy Savings Finder?
The NSW Energy Savings Finder is a free tool from NSW Climate and Energy Action. It is designed to match households with rebates, grants, and energy-saving tips based on their individual circumstances. A few questions are asked about your household and then personalised results are provided to help you cut energy costs.
The NSW Energy Savings Finder is available to all NSW residents and takes just five minutes to complete.
How It Works
The process is simple and broken into three steps:
- Answer a few straightforward questions about your home, household situation, and energy use.
- Receive tailored results that outline which financial support programs and energy-saving tips apply to you.
- Start saving – the results provided can help to reduce your energy bills.
What Kind of Support Can You Find?
Depending on your situation, the Finder may identify support including:
- Low Income Household Rebate – for eligible concession card holders
- Family Energy Rebate – for families receiving Family Tax Benefit
- Seniors Energy Rebate – for eligible self-funded retirees
- Medical Energy Rebate – for households with life-support equipment
- Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA) – emergency vouchers to help pay energy bills in a crisis
- Household Energy Saving Upgrades – incentives to upgrade your air conditioning, hot water system, or install a battery
- Gas Rebate – for eligible natural gas customers
- Home Energy Saver – support to help make your home more energy efficient
Plus, the tool also provides free practical, personalised energy-saving tips suited to your home and appliances.
Why This Matters
Many eligible households in NSW are not claiming the rebates they are entitled to and this is often simply because they don’t know they exist or find the application process confusing. This means real money is being left unclaimed every year.
Energy bills are one of the most common issues financial counsellors hear about. Rising electricity and gas costs can quickly become unmanageable, particularly for people on fixed incomes, families with young children, or those already dealing with other financial pressures.
The Energy Savings Finder removes the guesswork. Rather than searching across multiple government websites or trying to work out which programs you might qualify for, the tool does the hard work for you.
A Note for Renters
If you rent your home, you may still be eligible for a number of rebates, including the Low Income Household Rebate and EAPA vouchers. The Energy Savings Finder will account for your situation when generating results. The NSW Government also provides specific energy efficiency tips for renters, recognising that tenants often have limited ability to make changes to their homes.
How to Use the Energy Savings Finder
To get started:
- Visit www.energy.nsw.gov.au/households/tools/finder
- Answer the short questionnaire (about five minutes)
- Review your personalised results
- Apply for any rebates or programs listed (links are provided directly in the results)
The tool is free, anonymous, and available online 24 hours a day.
Need more support?
If energy bills are becoming overwhelming and you need help managing your finances, free and confidential support is available. Call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007. Financial counsellors are available Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4:30pm. They offer free, independent advice to help you understand your options.
