Clean Energy Advance

The Clean Energy Advance payment will be made based on your circumstances. If you are eligible for this payment, you won't need to do anything.

Household Assistance Package

This payment is a part of the Household Assistance Package. The package also includes the Clean Energy Supplement, Essential Medical Equipment Payment, Low Income Supplement, Low Income Family Supplement and Single Income Family Supplement.

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The Clean Energy Advance helps low and middle income households meet the impacts of carbon pricing on living expenses for up to 12 months. Eligible customers will receive the advance automatically from May 2012.

The Clean Energy Advance will provide assistance for income support recipients for the period from 1 July 2012 until the Clean Energy Supplement payments commence.

You need to know

Eligibility for Clean Energy Advance

If you receive one or more of the following payments and you meet residency requirements you will receive the Clean Energy Advance automatically.

  • Family Tax Benefit Part A and Part B
  • Age Pension
  • Bereavement Allowance
  • Carer Payment
  • Disability Support Pension
  • Parenting Payment Single
  • Widow B Pension
  • Wife Pension
  • ABSTUDY Living Allowance
  • Austudy
  • Exceptional Circumstance Relief Payment
  • Newstart Allowance
  • Parenting Payment Partnered
  • Partner Allowance
  • Sickness Allowance
  • Special Benefit
  • Widow Allowance
  • Youth Allowance
  • Seniors Supplement

If you become eligible for any of the payments above during the Clean Energy Advance period you will be paid a pro-rata Clean Energy Advance payment from the date you become eligible.

Payment rates for Clean Energy Advance

For a full list of Clean Energy Advance payments and rates, please see the Clean Energy Advance payment rates on the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs website.

Lump sum Family Tax Benefit customers

The Clean Energy Advance is paid in respect of the 2012-13 financial year. If you claim Family Tax Benefit as a lump sum at the end of the financial year, the Clean Energy Advance will be automatically included when your 2012-13 lump sum claim is processed.

If you wish to be assessed for a Clean Energy Advance earlier, you will need to lodge a claim for fortnightly payments of Family Tax Benefit.

You can lodge your claim for Family Tax Benefit online with Centrelink Online Services.

Blended families and shared care arrangements

If both you and your partner are in receipt of Family Tax Benefit, you will both receive the Clean Energy Advance based on your blended family or shared care percentage.

If only one person in the household is in receipt of Family Tax Benefit, the Clean Energy Advance will be paid to that person.

Approved Care Organisations

Approved Care Organisations who receive Family Tax Benefit will have automatically received a Clean Energy Advance payment on 27 June 2012.

The Clean Energy Advance rate is based on 1.7 percent of the annual Family Tax Benefit Part A base rate only, multiplied by the number of children in care.