Apply for a pensioners or seniors rebate

To receive a concession on local government rates, an applicant must own and occupy the property as their ordinary place of residence on 1 July of the current financial year.

To receive a concession on water service charges, an applicant must:

• own and occupy the property as their ordinary place of residence at the date of application and
• be the holder of a valid:
  • Pensioner Concession Card or
  • State Concession Card or
  • Commonwealth Seniors Health Card together with a WA Seniors Card or
  • WA Seniors Card.

To own means an applicant must:

• be the registered owner or co-owner of the property on the Certificate of Title (Note: where the property is co-owned a partial concession may apply) or
• have a right to reside or life tenancy at the property under the terms of a Will (probated) and be responsible for the payment of rates and charges raised against the property or
• hold a long-term lease (greater than 5 years) in a retirement village, park home, lifestyle village or caravan park.

Holders of the Pensioner Concession Card or State Concession Card

• The rebate is up to 50% for rates, limited to a maximum (capped) amount of $750.
• The option to defer rates may be available if the required criteria is met.
• Receive a rebate on water usage charges, limited to a maximum (capped) amount.

Holders of the WA Seniors Card and the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

• The rebate is up to 50% for rates, limited to a maximum (capped) amount of $750.
• The option to defer rates may be available if the required criteria is met.

Holders of the WA Seniors Card only

• The rebate is up to 25% for rates, limited to a maximum (capped) amount of $100.
• There is no option to defer rates.

An applicant should register their entitlement as soon as they receive their concession card.

Apply by following the link to ‘Concession Applications’ at www.watercorporation.com.au or contacting the Water Corporation on 1300 659 951.

The Water Corporation will notify the relevant local government authority.

Registration will take effect from the date that it is received by the Water Corporation.

An applicant can only claim a concession on their local government rates charges, emergency services levy and underground electricity charges on one property in any one financial year. This must be the property owned and occupied on 1 July.

An applicant can claim a concession on their water service charges on the property they own and occupy at the date of application.

If your local government rates charges, water service charges, emergency services levy or underground electricity charges are in arrears, you may still be able to obtain a rebate or deferment if a satisfactory arrangement to pay the arrears is entered into.

Rebate option

Pay the required amount on the notice by 30 June of the current financial year, or the due date on the water service charges bill. Rates for any year must be paid by 30 June of that financial year.

Leaseholders in Retirement Villages, Park Homes, Lifestyle Villages or Caravan Parks must pay in accordance with the terms of their lease.

Note: If payments are received after the due date, you may lose the rebate for that financial year and must pay the full amount.

Deferment option

Local government rates charges, water service charges, emergency services levy and underground electricity charges will be automatically deferred if the amount required to be paid on the rates and/or water service notice is not paid by 30 June of the current financial year, or the due date on the water service charges bill.

Charges will not be deferred if the property is:

• occupied under a right to reside or life tenancy under the terms of a Will of a deceased estate
• subject to co-ownership, other than spouse/de facto, where not all owners are eligible pensioners
• subject to a long-term lease in a retirement village, park home, lifestyle village or caravan park or
• occupied by eligible applicants that hold a WA Seniors Card only.

Note: Deferred charges:

• remain as a debt on the property until paid
• are not required to be paid until the entitlement to defer ceases (i.e. applicant moves out, sells the property, dies and leaves no surviving spouse/de facto)
• may be paid at any time, but a rebate cannot be claimed when they are paid and
• do not incur interest charges.

When applicants become eligible pensioners or seniors during a financial year, it is important that they register with the Water Corporation as soon as possible. The pro-rata provisions allow for a rebate based on the date of registration during that financial year (i.e. calculated on how many days of that year an applicant was registered).

Applicants must immediately advise the Water Corporation if they:

• are issued with a new card or their card is cancelled/expired
• have changed any of their details that were provided on the original registration
• sell or transfer an interest in all, or part, of the property or move to another address
• have a spouse who ceases occupation of the property or
• as a WA Seniors Card holder, become an eligible pensioner or the holder of a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

The Water Corporation will notify the relevant local government of changes.

If an applicant has land with multiple homes which have not been strata-titled (e.g. duplex properties, group housing complexes), rebates may be apportioned according to the ownership interests and the extent the owner uses the property for residential purposes (i.e. what part of the land is occupied by the pensioner and/or senior for their use).

The concessional arrangements are targeted at residential property owned and occupied by pensioners and seniors. If the property is owner-occupied by the applicant and is also partly used for commercial purposes, the rebate may be apportioned according to the ownership interests and the extent that the property is used as a residence.

In such cases, the Water Corporation and/or the relevant local government authority will make a determination on the extent of the entitlement to a rebate.