Government credit on an electricity bill is easy to overlook. Check what remains in your own account before moving or closing it, and distinguish existing credit from a newly announced payment.
What to have ready
Current service, eligibility and entry point
On 30 December 2025 the Government announced an extension of unused electricity subsidy and 2024/25 electricity-relief balances to 31 December 2026, or account closure if earlier. As checked on 2 October 2026, this does not establish a further extension into 2027 or a new monthly 2026 grant.
Credit offsets eligible electricity charges through the account; it is not withdrawable cash or a payment towards the account deposit. Tenants, subdivided-unit residents and people billed through a landlord should identify the official account holder and contractual billing arrangement. Living at the address does not itself create a personal cash claim.
From enquiry to follow-up
- Use the supplier's actual bill or account to find subsidy and relief balances, separating consumption charges, deposits and other items. Ask through the official bill contact if unclear. An unsolicited link requesting bank credentials to release an electricity refund is not the account-credit process.
- Before moving, ask the supplier about final billing, termination and credit treatment. Credit expires on closure, so do not assume transfer to the new account or a cash refund. Equally, do not retain responsibility for a premises account you should close simply to preserve a remaining credit.
- Where a landlord bills you, request the relevant supplier bill and the tenancy's allocation method, keeping period-by-period payments. Check how credit is reflected in the actual arrangement and applicable rules. Do not independently subtract an estimated subsidy from rent as though it were an approved personal payment.
- Record the 31 December 2026 deadline and change it only if a new official announcement extends validity. Continue normal consumption and payment rather than wasting electricity to exhaust a credit. Any other charges remain subject to the supplier's billing instructions and payment dates.
Limits to understand before applying
Government account credit, a supplier promotion and an NGO's energy assistance are different arrangements. Absence of bill credit does not mean a cash transfer is due to the bank. Check the historic eligible account and amounts already consumed before treating the situation as a missing payment.
Closure, tenancy rights and disputed high charges use their relevant supplier, tenancy or authority channels. Bills and payment evidence explain a discrepancy. The subsidy's expiry date does not automatically suspend collection of every charge or rewrite the tenancy's payment terms.
A practical support example
A household moving in November checks its remaining government credit and asks the supplier about the final reading and closure bill. The new premises follow their own account-opening process; the old balance cannot simply be recorded as cash owed personally by a landlord.
Check the account credit first: current validity ends at the end of 2026 or closure, whichever comes first.
Official information and enquiries
These are the reference and service entry points for this guide. Check current fees, eligibility, and schedules with the authority. The preparation date is not each source's official update date.