❓ Question regarding the Cost of Living Allowance (now Energy Assistance Payment) eligibility changes and their impact on residents in specific WA electorates. The answer provides data on eligible residents, registration numbers, communication methods, projected savings, and rationale for non-retrospective application of the discount.
AnsweredQoN 3757Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Minister for Energy's response to question on notice No. 3418 and I ask, for each of the electorates of Kimberley, Pilbara, Kalgoorlie, North West Central and Eyre: (a) how many residents were eligible for the Cost of Living Allowance payment as at 1 May 2015; (b) as at 1 September 2015, how many residents had registered for the Employee Assistance Program (EAP); (c) on what dates, and by which means, were customers in these electorates advised of the changes to the eligibility criteria; (d) what is the projected value of savings to be achieved in the 2014-15 financial year resulting from the changes to the eligibility criteria; and (e) why won't the State Government retrospectively apply the EAP discount to customer accounts who have not registered but who are eligible for the discount?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
23 February 2016
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Minister for Energy
Response time
91 days
(a) Kimberley - 1113
Pilbara - 535
Kalgoorlie - 1835
North West Central - 710
Eyre – 1025
(b) Kimberley - 857
Pilbara – 399
Kalgoorlie – 1618
North West Central – 432
Eyre – 489
(c) The changes were announced by the State Government as part of the budget in May 2015.
All Synergy customers that that held the Seniors Card were notified by a letter mailed in June 2015, advising them that they would need to contact Synergy to register another card to receive the EAP rebate as Seniors Card holders were no longer eligible. Synergy also updated information regarding the changes on the Synergy website and ran press adverts, with the first insertion included in The Sunday Times on Sunday 31 May 2015.
Horizon Power customers were advised in a news item published on the Horizon Power website on 9 June 2015 that the Cost of Living Assistance Payment (COLA) was to be renamed the Energy Assistance Payment from 1 July 2015 and that holders of a WA Senior Card were no longer eligible. Customers were advised to go to www.finance.wa.gov.au for more information or to contact Horizon Power on 1800 267 926. Retail and Community Managers, based locally in the regions, briefed key stakeholders and interest groups of those people more likely to be affected prior to the 1st July. Fact sheets and hardship brochures were updated and available for distribution by local teams from 1 July. Changes were also highlighted in the Horizon Power customer newsletter; On the Horizon.
(d) Changes to the eligibility criteria of the former Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA), now the Energy Assistance Payment (EAP), took effect from 1 July 2015. Therefore, in the 2014-15 financial year no savings were delivered.
(e) The EAP is established on the account from the date a person is approved by Synergy or Horizon Power as an eligible recipient and will be applied from the date that the meter at the property was last read. Rebates are not otherwise retrospective.
Pilbara - 535
Kalgoorlie - 1835
North West Central - 710
Eyre – 1025
(b) Kimberley - 857
Pilbara – 399
Kalgoorlie – 1618
North West Central – 432
Eyre – 489
(c) The changes were announced by the State Government as part of the budget in May 2015.
All Synergy customers that that held the Seniors Card were notified by a letter mailed in June 2015, advising them that they would need to contact Synergy to register another card to receive the EAP rebate as Seniors Card holders were no longer eligible. Synergy also updated information regarding the changes on the Synergy website and ran press adverts, with the first insertion included in The Sunday Times on Sunday 31 May 2015.
Horizon Power customers were advised in a news item published on the Horizon Power website on 9 June 2015 that the Cost of Living Assistance Payment (COLA) was to be renamed the Energy Assistance Payment from 1 July 2015 and that holders of a WA Senior Card were no longer eligible. Customers were advised to go to www.finance.wa.gov.au for more information or to contact Horizon Power on 1800 267 926. Retail and Community Managers, based locally in the regions, briefed key stakeholders and interest groups of those people more likely to be affected prior to the 1st July. Fact sheets and hardship brochures were updated and available for distribution by local teams from 1 July. Changes were also highlighted in the Horizon Power customer newsletter; On the Horizon.
(d) Changes to the eligibility criteria of the former Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA), now the Energy Assistance Payment (EAP), took effect from 1 July 2015. Therefore, in the 2014-15 financial year no savings were delivered.
(e) The EAP is established on the account from the date a person is approved by Synergy or Horizon Power as an eligible recipient and will be applied from the date that the meter at the property was last read. Rebates are not otherwise retrospective.
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