Free and low-cost solar help in WA: concessions for pensioners and low-income households

This is general information, not financial advice. Program names, eligibility criteria and support amounts change over time. Confirm current details directly with your electricity retailer or the relevant government agency.

Solar can meaningfully cut a household’s electricity costs over time, but the upfront price is exactly the barrier that keeps it out of reach for a lot of pensioners and low-income households, even with the standard rebate applied. There are a few genuine avenues worth checking before assuming it’s simply not an option.

Concession card and pensioner support

WA offers energy concessions to eligible pensioners and concession card holders that reduce ongoing electricity bills, separate from any solar-specific rebate. These don’t directly fund a solar purchase, but they change the overall cost picture of your energy use, which is worth factoring in when weighing up whether solar makes sense for your situation. Eligibility and support amounts are set by government and change periodically, so check current details directly rather than relying on older information.

The standard rebate still applies

The Small-scale Technology Certificate discount that reduces the upfront price of a solar system generally applies the same way regardless of household income. It isn’t a means-tested scheme, so a low-income household installing solar gets the same upfront reduction as any other eligible household. It just doesn’t close the full affordability gap on its own for most people.

Where else to look

Avenue	What it covers
Energy concessions for pensioners and card holders	Reduces ongoing electricity bill costs
Hardship or financial counselling services	Can point to targeted energy assistance programs and payment support
Supplier payment plans or financing	Spreads the upfront cost over time, sometimes interest-free
Retailer-specific assistance programs	Some electricity retailers run their own customer hardship support separate from government schemes

Being cautious of offers that sound too generous

Genuine assistance programs exist, but so do sales pitches that use the language of government schemes to sound more official than they are. Be cautious of any offer describing a solar system as entirely “free,” with no catch, since even the standard STC rebate only ever reduces the price, it doesn’t eliminate it for most households. If a salesperson implies a special government program covers the full cost for you specifically, ask them to point you to the exact scheme by name so you can verify it independently, rather than taking their word for it on the spot.

Preparing before you contact your retailer

Have a recent electricity bill on hand when you call, since it usually has account details a retailer needs to check your eligibility for any concession. It also helps to have a rough idea of your household situation, whether you hold a relevant concession card, your general income bracket if asked, and whether you’re already receiving any other energy assistance, since retailers and government agencies use this to point you to the right program rather than a generic answer.

Practical steps to take

Start with your electricity retailer directly and ask what concessions or assistance programs you’re eligible for as things currently stand. Then get a couple of solar quotes and ask each supplier explicitly whether they offer any payment plan, financing, or reduced-deposit option, since not every supplier advertises this upfront. Community legal and financial counselling services in WA can also help identify assistance programs that aren’t always well publicised.

If the upfront cost still doesn’t work even after checking every avenue, it’s worth reassessing system size rather than abandoning the idea entirely. A smaller system that covers your core daytime usage can still meaningfully reduce a bill, even if it’s not the larger setup you originally had in mind, and it gives you the option to expand later once the first stage is paid off.

Making sure you’re not overpaying

If cost is the deciding factor, it’s worth being especially careful about comparing quotes properly rather than accepting the first offer. Competitive and fair pricing is one of the things reviewed rebate and STC specialists in Perth are most consistently praised for, which makes them a reasonable place to start getting comparison quotes.

You can browse providers from the homepage, and our methodology explains how we weigh pricing fairness in our rankings.