Cant pay your energy or water bill?
“Energy poverty” is a new word!
“Definition is …..a situation in which a household must spend more than 10% of its disposable income on energy bills.
Low income households (including pensioners) are the most vulnerable to this kind of poverty, because their energy bills take a large proportion of their disposable income.
Many disadvantaged households are experiencing discomfort and ill-health as well as other forms of material and social deprivation because of the need to choose between essential household items, and rising electricity to maintain a decent standard of living.
Energy poverty needs to be especially recognised as a distinct and growing social problem for Australia’s 2.8 million households who fall in the 2 lowest income quantities as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
We are aware of the Government concessions which include-
- Annual electricity concession
- Winter gas concession
- Water and sewerage concessions
While helpful, they in no way provide relief to thousands of Australian families.
At Make A Difference families arrive with unmanageable utility bills, and we are constantly writing cheques for these families to avoid disconnection.
And – you are wondering why we are called “Make A Difference!”