Electricity life support
The Queensland Government provides an electricity life support concession for eligible people who are seriously ill and use a home-based oxygen concentrator or kidney dialysis machine.
This concession is to contribute to the electricity cost of running these machines.
If you or someone in your household depends on life support equipment, contact your electricity provider and register your household as a life support household. If you lose power, you will be contacted and provided with updates on when it will be fixed. You can register as a life support household even if you are not eligible for the Life Support Concession.
Those who were assessed through Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme and transition to Home Care Packages from 1 July 2023 will still be able to receive the Electricity Life Support Concession payments. The 2023 Budget announcement has expanded the eligibility criteria to continue payments to those assessed through MASS and transitioned to HCP from 1 July 2023.
This affects those customers who use a MASS supplied machine and later transition to a Home Care Package funded by the Australian Government.
Eligibility
Oxygen concentrators
To apply, you must:
- receive your oxygen concentrator free of charge through the Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme (MASS)
AND - have been medically assessed in accordance with the eligibility criteria determined by MASS
AND - hold one of the following concession cards:
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card
- Health Care Interim Voucher
- Child Disability Allowance
- Queensland Seniors Card.
Kidney dialysis machines
To be eligible, you must receive your home-based kidney dialysis machine free of charge through a Queensland Health hospital.
Oxygen concentrators and kidney dialysis machines not supplied by MASS or Queensland Health
If you have an oxygen concentrator or kidney dialysis machine, but MASS or Queensland Health did not originally supply it, you are not eligible to receive the electricity life support concession.
Continuous Positive Airflow Pressure (CPAP) machine users are not eligible to receive the concession.
Full eligibility requirements for the concession are outlined on the application form.
How to apply
Oxygen concentrator
To apply, complete the Electricity Life Support Concession application form. The form will be sent to you within 14 working days of receiving your machine from the Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme. If you do not receive an application form, contact the Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme to request a new one.
Kidney dialysis
To apply, complete the Electricity Life Support Concession application form that will be provided to you from the Renal Unit at Queensland Health hospitals.
A parent or guardian can submit an application on behalf of a child under 18.
A person holding power of attorney, under the Powers of Attorney Act 1998 (Qld), may sign the application on behalf of the applicant.
For help completing the application, phone Concession Services on 13 QGOV (13 74 68). Incomplete or inaccurate applications may delay your concession payment.
Payments
Payment amounts
If you are eligible for the concession, you will receive a payment of:
- $975.60 per year for each oxygen concentrator, or
- $653.34 per year for each kidney dialysis machine you use.
The concession is calculated monthly and paid quarterly into your nominated bank account.
Payment dates
You will receive your payment on or prior 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October each year, by electronic funds transfer to your nominated bank account.
Applications lodged less than 21 days before the payment date will be paid on the next payment date.
Fraudulent claims
If you submit an application for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining the concession, legal action may be taken against you.
Cancellations
If you are no longer using the machine call Concession Services on 13 QGOV (13 74 68) immediately for your concession to be discontinued.
Concession Services provide the concessional payment separate to Queensland Health who provide the life support machine. If you fail to notify Concession Services and an overpayment occurs, you may be liable for repaying the money.
Change of details
You must notify any of the following changes immediately:
- address
- bank account details*
- eligibility for the concession.
*For security purposes you must submit changes to your bank account details in writing.
To notify of changes
Concession Services
Smart Service Queensland
PO Box 10817 Adelaide Street, Brisbane Qld 4000
Phone: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)
Email: concessions@smartservice.qld.gov.au
Find out more
- Electricity and gas rebates are available to eligible pensioners, veterans and seniors.
- The Medical Cooling and Heating Electricity Concession Scheme provides concessions for people with specific medical conditions requiring the use of an air-conditioner to regulate their body temperature.
- The Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme helps low-income households pay energy bills at a time of crisis or in emergencies.