Ombudsman's message
The combination of winter bills and increased energy and water prices, means we are anticipating a rise in customers experiencing affordability challenges.
EWON established an Extra Help team in November 2024 to address the growing complexity of affordability issues customers experiencing vulnerability often face. It provides tailored, holistic support including to customers affected by family and domestic violence, partner incarceration, homelessness, serious medical conditions, disability, or lower literacy. This team provides referral pathways to specific community organisations needed by customers including direct access to financial counsellors, the National Debt Helpline (through the Financial Rights Legal Centre) and Carers NSW, we’re helping customers address the full scope of their circumstances.
From its introduction, until the end of FY25, our Extra Help team resolved 736 complaints regarding 31 different providers. After this successful trial period, the Extra Help team has now been permanently integrated into our wider Dispute Resolution team.
Bring Your Bills Days continue to be a cornerstone of our community outreach – they’re a one-stop-shop for bringing together energy and water providers, government agencies, and community support services that assist customers face-to-face in their own community. We’re heading to Mt Druitt, Wyong and Woy Woy next, so if you have any clients who need help with billing issues, rebates; or need legal, tenancy, or financial advice, encourage them to come along and say hello to our friendly team!
Finally, we’ve launched a new multicultural campaign to ensure information about energy and water support is accessible – regardless of language or background.
Take a look at the campaign resources below and share them with your networks.
Janine Young
Ombudsman & Chief Executive Officer
Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW
Complaint update
We received 5,740 complaints in the April to June 2025 quarter – a 6.7% decrease compared to the previous quarter. Disputed high bills remain the biggest issue, with 1,493 complaints received. There has been a 25% increase in complaints related to errors closing accounts, which could indicate more customers are looking for a better energy deal and are switching providers due to ongoing cost of living pressures.
Complaints by quarter
You’re Not Alone: support for multicultural communities
We’ve launched You’re Not Alone – a campaign to support multicultural and multilingual communities across New South Wales. The campaign promotes our free, in-language support available to customers when they call EWON.
To bring this to life, we partnered with a Multicultural Community Advisory Board to create videos and resources in Arabic, Cantonese, Hindi, Korean, and Mandarin featuring community members showing how they use energy and water at home.
We’ve put together a range of videos, factsheets, postcards and social media tiles to download. Help us spread the word by sharing these materials through your newsletters, at community events and on social media. Together, we can make sure everyone knows they can contact EWON for free advice in their own language.
View the campaign resources.
Not just the bills – annual Community Workers Forum
We grabbed some speakers at the end of the day to hear about what keeps them up at night
EWON hosted our annual Community Workers Forum in Surry Hills in June 2025, exploring the theme: Not just the bills – what happens when energy and water are unaffordable?
The forum brought together 70 attendees, from community and government organisations to share ideas, build practical support pathways and let community workers know how they can utilise EWON to help their clients.
This year we focused on the real-life consequences of unaffordable energy and water bills, drawing on a combination of lived experience and specialist knowledge.
Speakers from Homes NSW, Tenants' Union of NSW, SydWest Multicultural Services, The Energy Charter, Northern Rivers Community Gateway, Thriving Communities Australia, Energy Australia, Mob Strong Debt Help from the Financial Rights Legal Centre, and Sydney Water joined us to discuss the experiences of First Nations and multicultural communities, renters, people with disabilities and customers experiencing family violence.
If you would like to be added to our invitation list for next year, email community@ewon.com.au.
Don’t set and forget – higher energy and water prices
From July 1, NSW default power prices increased between:
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8.3% and 9.7% for residential customers
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7.9% and 8.5% for small business customers
Don’t set and forget – we encourage you and your clients to call your retailer and ask to be put on the best contract for your energy use. If that doesn’t work, shop around for a better offer on the government approved comparison site Energy Made Easy.
Find out more about how you can take control of your energy costs.
Hunter Water has announced a price increase effective 1 July. The average household water bill will go up about $86, a 6.9% increase including inflation. Sydney Water’s prices will also increase from 1 October 2025.
Energy rebates have decreased
The NSW Government announced changes to energy rebates from 1 July 2025.
Rebates were increased in the 2024-25 financial year, after additional funding was announced, however this has not been extended into 2025-26, and rebates have now return to the previous rates.
View our updated rebates factsheets for more information, also available in Vietnamese, Arabic and Chinese.
Changes to opt-out rule for smart meters
As part of the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (AEMC) plan to roll out smart meters to all customers by 2030, customers can no longer opt-out of having their meter exchanged.
Most people won’t need to take any action to get a smart meter – your electricity company will contact you at least a week before the smart meter is installed.
This change ensures all meters meet current standards and operate efficiently, supporting a more reliable energy system. Visit the AEMC’s Rule Change overview for more information.
Battery incentives update
The Australian Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program is offering a 30% discount on the upfront cost of installing small scale battery systems connected to rooftop solar.
The NSW Government’s incentive for connecting your battery to a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) has increased and can be combined with the Australian Government’s battery discount.
If you’re wondering if a home battery is right for your home, check the NSW Governments Guide to owning a battery and its Battery installation checklist.
Top tip: Energy audit your home for spring
Use the free Nabers online audit energy tool to spot where your home is losing energy – and find ways to cut costs and save money.
Case study
Customer in prison can’t close account
Sindy opened an electricity account but only lived at the property for a month before she was incarcerated. Unable to close the account from prison, new occupants moved in and continued using electricity under her name. She later received a debt notice for over $12,500.
With help from a financial counsellor, Sindy contacted EWON and explained she could not return to the property due to family violence, she had no income while she was incarcerated, was long-term unemployed and had complex health issues.
EWON’s Extra Help team spoke with the retailer, explaining her situation and complex vulnerabilities. The retailer agreed to waive the full debt and closed the account from the date she left the property. Sindy and her advocate were relieved and happy with the positive outcome.
Come and visit us, we attend events across NSW!
- Ashfield (Wangal Land): Cost of Living Help Hub – 28 August
- Wentworth (Barkindji lands): Wentworth Show – 30 August
- Muswellbrook (Wonnarua and Gamilaroi land): The Great Cattledog Muster – 6 September
- Henty (Wiradjuri and Ngunawal land): Henty Field Days – 23 September
- Mount Druitt (Darug Land): Bring Your Bills – 23 September
- Toukley (on the land of the Darkinjung people): Let's Talk Roadshow – 25 September
- Umina Beach (on the land of the Darkinjung people): Let's Talk Roadshow – 26 September
- Tamworth (on the land of the Kamilaroi/Gomeroi people): NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout – 3 October 2025
- Kincumber (on the land of the Darkinjung people): Food Hub and Services Day – 29 October 2025
- Wyong (on the land of the Darkinjung people): Bring Your Bills – 30 October
- Woy Woy (on the land of the Darkinjung people): Bring Your Bills – 31 October
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