Council offers rebates and concessions for eligible pensioners who own and occupy a rateable property.
in response to the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the community, Council has expanded the options available to pensioners under its Debt Management and Hardship Policy. See information under Other financial assistance offered by Council at the bottom of this page.
About the Pension Rebate
Under NSW legislation, Council provides a rebate of up to a maximum of $250.00 per rating year to eligible pensioners at a cost of $1 million per year . This rebate is funded 45% by Council and 55% by the State government. The rebate amount is fixed and does not increase with inflation or rate increases.
Pensioners who are granted a rebate with Council will have their Rates and Charges Notices automatically adjusted going forward, provided there has been no change to their eligibility.
Eligibility Criteria
Under State legislation, you must satisfy all of the following criteria to be an “eligible pensioner”:
-
You hold a current pensioner concession card issued by either Centrelink or the Department of Veteran's Affairs. (Ratepayers can check with Centrelink or Veteran’s Affairs to see if they are entitled to a Pensioner Concession Card for the purposes of Council Rates and Charges concessions.)
-
You (solely or jointly) own the dwelling for which a rebate is sought
-
The property is your sole or principal residence.
Please contact Council immediately if your eligibility changes. If your pensioner rebate eligibility changes during the rating year, your instalment amounts will be adjusted accordingly..
How to Apply
To apply, please:
How the Pension Rebate is Calculated
The rebate amount granted will be proportionate to the percentage of ownership and to the date from which the applicant became eligible.
Applicants who become an eligible pensioner during the financial year will receive a rebate proportionate to the number of full quarters in which the applicant became an eligible pensioner (Local Government Act 1993, Section 575). This is illustrated in the table below:
Date of Pensioner Concession Card
|
Rebate entitlement
within financial year
|
Before 1 July of financial year |
Full rebate |
Before 1 October |
75% rebate |
Before 1 January |
50% rebate |
Before 1 April |
25% rebate |
Between 1 April and 30 June |
No rebate |
Backdating of Pension Rebates
Council will retrospectively grant rebates (backdate) only up to 12 months prior to the submission date of a pensioner application form, upon confirmation of eligibility during the backdated period.
Termination of Pension Rebate
When a person ceases to be an eligible pensioner, dies or sells the property, a proportion of the rebate granted for the financial year is written back as payable. This applies in the same manner as a granted rebate - the write back will equal the number of full quarters remaining in the year.
Other financial assistance offered by Council
Hardship Assistance
Council is committed to assisting customers who are experiencing adverse financial hardship, and offer payment arrangements such as interest free extensions and interest free payment plans to ease the burden.
If you receive a rebate on your Council rates, you can still apply for assistance. Visit our Hardship assistance page for more information and to apply.
Additional Assistance for Pensioners
Council has adopted the following changes to the Debt Management and Hardship Policy to provide additional assistance to eligible pensioner ratepayers. The new assistance includes the option for eligible pensioners to:
- pay their rates in monthly instalments at no additional cost
- defer payment of rates until the sale of their property without being charged penalty interest
Please contact Council for information on how to begin an application to receive this assistance.
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