Do you have clients who are struggling to pay their bills? With the cost of living crisis getting worse, more people are coming to the Society for help in paying essential bills. As a response to this increased demand, the Society is now offering clients assistance with electricity and natural gas bills through the NSW Government's EAPA scheme.
The Society is now a registered provider of the NSW Government's Energy Accounts Payment Assistance digital voucher program. This means you'll be able to help clients with up to $400 on either their natural gas or electricity bills.
The program is designed to help households who are in a sudden emergency or financial crisis.
To be eligible, clients must:
- Have an electricity or natural gas account for a NSW residential address
- Be the account holder
- Have not paid their most recent bill, and
- Be experiencing short-term financial hardship, crisis, or emergency
Assisting clients with bills can be discussed during a regular visitation or meeting; however, to make processing the application easier, you should ask them to provide:
- Two proof of identity documents
- A copy of the most recent bill, and
- Evidence of financial crisis, like a termination notice or proof of medical expenses.
Clients can also contact their retailer to be placed on a hardship plan before visiting you, which can help with the application process.
For more information, click here to view the fact sheet, or please contact member.programs@vinnies.org.au.
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