Energy bill relief for small businesses

2025–26 small business rebate

Queensland small businesses will get $150 off their electricity bills from the Australian Government under the Energy Bill Relief Fund extension.

A rebate of $150 will be automatically credited to eligible small business customer bills in quarterly instalments ($75 per quarter) from 1 July 2025 to the end of 2025. There is no need to apply. Exact timing will depend on individual bill cycles.

Look for the 'Australian Government Energy Price Relief Plan Rebate' or similar on your bill.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the rebate, a small business must:

  • meet Queensland's statutory small business electricity usage criteria (i.e. consumption less than 100 megawatt-hours (MWh) per year)
  • be separately metered and charged for electricity consumption
  • have an open electricity account with their retailer or embedded network operator on 1 July 2025.

Only one $150 rebate applies per customer, regardless of how many sites a business has. For businesses with multiple sites, total consumption across all sites must be less than 100MWh per annum to be eligible for the rebate.

Ineligible small businesses

Some types of businesses are not eligible for the rebate, regardless of their consumption level. For example, if the nature of the business does not fit within the intent of the relief package for small businesses. These include:

  • banks and financial institutions (e.g. branches, ATMs)
  • utilities, including telcos (e.g. Telstra shops) and rail (e.g. train stations)
  • government-owned sites at federal, state and local level (e.g. Centrelink, council-owned libraries and pools)
  • health funds (e.g. BUPA and Medibank stores).

Embedded network arrangements

Small business tenants who get their electricity through a privately owned embedded network—and are billed by their landlord, property manager/operator or other entity (exempt seller)—are also eligible for the rebate if they meet the criteria.

Embedded network customers do not need to apply for the rebate. Your embedded network operator will lodge a claim with their retailer on your behalf.

Most customers will receive the rebate as a one-off lump sum credit on their electricity bill in the second half of 2025. However, it may take longer for the rebate to be applied and appear on your bill.

If you haven’t received the rebate by 31 December 2025, contact your embedded network operator directly.

If an eligible small business customer has an account with an embedded network operator on 1 July 2025, then moves out of that network, they should still receive the rebate from that operator. The operator should use their best endeavours to ensure customers receive any outstanding credits when they close their account.

More information is available from the Australian Government.

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