Energy debt and hardship remains a concern for Queenslanders

Published on 28 July 2025

With cost of living still pressing down, and energy prices going up, the Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland remains concerned about the level of energy debt and hardship among Queenslanders.

In June 2025, the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) released their Quarterly retail performance report for January – March 2025. The AER reports that the proportion of customers with energy debt and the average residential energy debt has increased since the same time last year. In Queensland, the average amount of energy debt has increased by $502.

The Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland (EWOQ) closed a total of 2,181 cases in the April to June 2025 quarter, an increase of 5.1% from the last quarter. With a 1% increase in percentage of complaints related to both billing and credit, energy affordability and ensuring consumers get access to the payment assistance they need, is a top concern for EWOQ. 

Jane Pires, the Energy and Water Ombudsman for Queensland, is encouraging Queenslanders to reach out for help if they’re struggling with their bills.

‘We’ve seen an increase in complaints related to credit issues, which include issues related to collection, disconnection due to non-payment and other payment difficulties. We’ve also seen an increase in complaints relating to high bills, which can often have an underlying cause of payment difficulties. The best step a customer can take when in this position, is to ask for help’, says Ms Pires.

Ms Pires encourages anyone who is struggling to pay their energy or water bills to contact their provider to discuss what payment assistance options they have available.

‘All providers are required to have a policy to help customers in financial difficulty. Providers can help you by offering payment plans, hardship programs and checking if you’re eligible for any rebates or concessions.’

Ms Pires is also calling on providers to be aware of the levels of hardship in Queensland and to offer a helping hand to their customers. ‘Energy and water are an essential service for all. As the first point of contact, we rely on providers to identify those who need assistance and make it easy for their customers to access assistance when they need it.’

If you’re a customer who has spoken to your provider about your payment difficulties and haven’t been offered any assistance or can’t come to an agreement on a payment plan, contact EWOQ for further support. We can give you information about financial assistance, and work with you and your provider to negotiate an affordable payment plan.

Find out more about assistance with payments and defaults.

Make a complaint online or call 1800 662 837.