Hardship policy

Hardship policy

There are a range of reasons why a residential customer may have the intention but not capacity to pay for an energy invoice. Pacific Blue Retail is committed to the early identification and provision of assistance to residential customers anticipating or facing payment difficulties.  

The purpose of our customer hardship policy is to identify residential customers experiencing payment difficulties due to hardship and to assist those customers to better manage their energy bills on an ongoing basis. At all times we endeavour to treat customers fairly and with empathy and respect.    

Our Hardship Program is free and available to any residential customer experiencing financial difficulty, including those with no arrears.  In Victoria, residential customers are entitled to receive standard assistance and tailored assistance depending on their individual circumstances.  Support includes: 

• Flexible tailored payment plans
• Free advice to assist you with lowering your energy costs;
• No late payment fees or early termination fees (on leaving the program)
• Referral to external support services such as financial counsellors where appropriate; and 
• Assistance with accessing government funded concessions, rebates and grants (Including the Utility Relief Grant for Victorian customers). 
• The option of a variety of payment methods including Centrelink. 

We are committed to ensuring our hardship policy is accessible to all customers, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, customers without internet access, customers with disability, and customers in remote areas.   

You can access our customer hardship policy at any time via our website in a printable format or request a hard copy at no cost. Please contact us to obtain further information on our Hardship Program and the options available to you.  

Please see below hardship policies for Victoria, and for NSW, SA and QLD.