Pensioner Concessions

 

Concessions on Council rates and charges are available to eligible pensioners. Further information can be found below, and in our Ratepayers Pensioner Policy (PDF 91.7KB). 

 

Eligibility for the pensioner rebate

Eligible pensioners may be entitled to a concession (also known as a discount or rebate) on their Council rates and charges.

To be eligible to receive a pensioner concession, the applicant must:

  1. Be a pensioner concession cardholder from either Centrelink or the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, that is issued by the Commonwealth Government
  2. Be solely or jointly liable for the rates and charges, i.e. the property owner or the property owner’s spouse
  3. Occupy the dwelling as their sole or principal place of residence
  4. Complete a Pensioner Concessioner Application Form and return this and associated material to Council (see further below under How to Apply). 

 

What is a pensioner rebate and how much money will come off my rates notice? 

Eligible pensioners are currently entitled to the below rebates for one primary place of residence only:

  • Ordinary rates, and domestic waste combined – 50% of the ordinary rates and domestic waste combined up to a maximum of $250
  • Water rates or charges – 50% of the water availability (rates) and water consumption charges up to a maximum of $87.50
  • Sewerage rates or charges – 50% of the annual sewerage charge up to a maximum $87.50

The above amounts are fixed by the NSW Government, and do not increase with inflation or in line with rate increases. 

The Special Variation approved by IPART in May 2024 and enacted by Council on 25 June 2024 means that there will be additional $50 on top of existing rebates in the first year of the Special Variation (SV). From the second year of the SV onwards, Council will provide an additional $100 rebate per year.

 

How to apply

To apply for a pensioner rebate concession on your rates, you can:

  1. Click here to apply online
  2. Download the Pensioner Concession Application Form (PDF 649.2KB) and return it to Council, along with providing a copy of your Pensioner Concession Card. You can obtain a paper copy of this form from our Council Customer Service Centres in Barraba, Manilla, Nundle or Tamworth
  3. Call Council’s Customer Service Centre to provide your pension details on (02) 6767 5555, or 1300 733 625 within the Tamworth region, during office hours

 

Important Information - eligibility timing

If you receive a pensioner concession card after the commencement of a quarterly billing period and you meet the above conditions, you can claim a rebate from the start of the next quarterly billing period.

If you no longer qualify as an eligible pensioner, you will not be entitled to receive a rebate after the end of the quarterly billing period in which you ceased to be eligible. Therefore, if you were granted a pensioner rebate in advance that you are no longer entitled to, it will be charged back to your rate account for the period relating to your ineligibility.

Please contact Council on (02) 6767 5555 immediately to notify us if your eligibility changes.