Energy Consumers Australia appreciates the opportunity to provide feedback on the Australian Energy Regulator (AER)’s Issues Paper – Review of payment difficulty protections in the National Energy Customer Framework.

Our June 2024 Energy Consumer Sentiment Survey paints a concerning picture for current and future energy affordability in Australia. Across all income brackets except the highest (over $150k), more than half of households say they are either under financial pressure or managing to afford household bills but struggling to afford anything extra.

Simultaneously, there is clear evidence that current consumer protections for people experiencing payment difficulty in the National Consumer Energy Framework (NECF) aren’t working.

Our submission makes a number of recommendations in relation to the review’s proposed approach, eligibility and identification of payment difficulty, effective consumer engagement and assistance, disconnections as a last resort, costs and benefits of implementation.