What a hardship program actually is
A hardship program is a formal support arrangement your energy retailer must provide for customers who are having genuine trouble paying their bills. It is not charity and it is not a black mark — it is a structured way to keep you connected while you get back on your feet. Being on a hardship program typically means a manageable payment plan, protection from disconnection, and often a pause on late fees or debt-recovery action while you are meeting the agreed payments.
Crucially, this is a legal requirement, not a goodwill gesture. Under Australian energy rules, every retailer must have a hardship policy and must tell customers about it. That means help exists no matter who you are with — the only step is to ask for it.
What being on a hardship program gives you
- Protection from disconnection
- While you are on a hardship arrangement and meeting the agreed payments, your retailer cannot disconnect you for non-payment.
- A realistic payment plan
- Repayments are meant to reflect what you can genuinely afford and your ongoing usage, not an amount that sets you up to fail.
- A pause on extra charges
- Many retailers waive or suspend late-payment fees and debt-collection activity while you are meeting your hardship arrangement.
- Help to lower your usage
- Hardship programs often include a check that you are on the best available plan and getting every rebate, plus energy-saving guidance.
- Referral to further help
- Your retailer can point you to concessions, grants, and free financial counselling you may not know you qualify for.
How to ask — it is easier than you fear
- Find your retailer's phone number on your bill or website, and look for the words "hardship", "assistance" or "difficulty paying".
- Call and say you are having trouble paying and would like to be considered for the hardship program.
- Be ready to talk roughly about what you can afford each week or fortnight — but you do not need bank statements or a detailed justification to start.
- Ask them to confirm, in writing or by email, what you have agreed and that you are now on the hardship program.
- Ask them to check at the same time that every concession and rebate you're entitled to is applied to your account.
If you feel brushed off
Occasionally a first call does not go well — you might be offered a plan you cannot afford or feel your situation was not heard. You are entitled to push back, to ask to speak to the hardship team specifically, and to have the arrangement reflect what you can actually pay. Retailers have obligations here, and "meeting your hardship arrangement" means one that is genuinely affordable for you.
If you still can't reach a fair outcome, you can contact your state or territory energy and water ombudsman — a free, independent service that resolves disputes between customers and retailers. A free financial counsellor (National Debt Helpline, 1800 007 007) can also speak to your retailer on your behalf if that feels easier.