Cost of living: How to get $110 off your electricity bill through Power Credits Scheme
Some Kiwis can expect their power bill to rise this month for the third year in a row as the low-user charge is phased out – but there's a payment available for people who are struggling.
It's the third year in a row that low-power users are facing increasing fixed costs as the low-power users scheme is phased out.
To help the industry set up the $5 million Power Credits Scheme which means eligible households can access credit during the transition.
The phase out which began in 2022 will see fixed costs for low users rise every april for five years.
The scheme means households who are supplied by Contact, Meridian, Mercury, Genesis, Nova, Wise, Globug, Powershop, Frank or Toast Electric can access a $110 payment if they’re in hardship. So far $1.4 million has been paid out.
The scheme is run by the Electricity Retailers’ Association of New Zealand. Chief executive Bridget Abernethy told Consumer NZ households showing signs of energy hardship can get the payment. But Abernethy said each power company will have its own criteria for what energy hardship looks like.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said removing the "low Fixed Charge Tariff regulations is essential for creating a fairer playing field for all New Zealand households".
However, the MBIE website acknowledged the phase-out could be challenging for some households.
"While all households are expected to benefit in the long term from the regulations being removed, some households may face higher power bills," the website said.
The credit can help households adjust, it added.
The decision to remove the low user charge was made by the then Labour Government in 2021 who called it "poorly targeted".
Then Energy Minister Megan Woods said it would mean three in five households could benefit from lower power bills.
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⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Poll: Would you rather: Christmas in summer forever or winter forever?
Just a bit of a fun poll to get you thinking.
If you had to live out your Christmas days, would you prefer it was a summer Christmas or a winter Christmas?
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61.9% Summer
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36.6% Winter
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1.5% Other - I'll share below
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!
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