Understanding your energy bill can help you spot ways to reduce your energy use and save money. It can also make it easier to compare plans if you’re thinking about switching to a better deal.
1. Are you on the best plan?
Every few months your energy retailer will let you know whether you’re on their best plan.
The Best Offer Notice will appear on the first page of your bill, usually in a box that says ‘could you save money on another plan?’.
If there is a cheaper offer available, your retailer will list the name of the plan and how much you could save annually based on your current usage. All you need to do to get this offer is call your retailer and ask to be moved to the best offer listed on your bill.
To check you are on the best energy offer in the market visit: compare.energy.vic.gov.au.
2. Balance and payments
Your account summary tells you how much you need to pay.
If you missed paying all or part of your last energy bill or have an outstanding balance, on your new energy bill the unpaid amount will be listed as:
- balance brought forward, or
- previous balance.
3. Energy charges
Your electricity bill is made up of 2 types of charges:
- Supply charges
- Usage charges
4. Supply charges
This is a fixed amount you pay each day for the supply of energy to your property. These include charges for:
- grid connection
- metering
- administration and billing costs
- environmental fees.
Usage charges
Your usage charges are based on how much energy you use, for example cents per kilowatt hour (c/kWh) for electricity or cents per megajoule (c/MJ) for gas. Some energy plans charge different rates at different times of the day. Efficient appliances use less energy and reduce your usage charge, saving you money.
5. Energy concessions available to Victorian concession card holders
Energy concessions available to Victorian concession card holders will be listed as credits on your bill. If you have an eligible concession card and your energy concession is not listed on your bill it means you’re not getting it. For more information on concessions visit help paying your energy bills.
6. Check your energy use
An easy way to understand your energy use is to check the usage graph on your bill for the ‘average daily use’ figure and see how it compares to the ‘same time last year’ figure.
7. Accessing help
If you’re having trouble paying your energy bills you should contact your retailer. Under Victoria’s Payment Difficulty Framework your retailer is required to provide you with support, including to:
- set up a payment plan for an amount you can afford
- delay paying a bill or change how you pay
- access eligible energy concessions and grants.
All you need to do is ask your retailer for help, or if you need assistance call the Energy Assistance Program on 1800 161 215.
Your energy cannot be disconnected if one of the following applies:
- you owe less than $300 to your retailer (this increases to $1,000 from October 2026)
- you are making regular payments on a payment plan
- you have applied for a Utility Relief Grant.
8. Contacting the Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria) (EWOV)
If you need help to resolve an issue with your retailer, you can contact the Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria) (EWOV) for independent dispute resolute services. The name and telephone number of the EWOV is on the front page of every bill. You can also call 1800 500 509.
Page last updated: 03/08/26