What to do if you can’t pay your power bill

If you’re struggling to keep on top of your power bills, you’re not alone. Nearly one in five New Zealand households have struggled to pay their power bill over the past year.   

Here are some steps to help you get on top of your power bill now and avoid disconnection. 

Talk to your power company

You may be able to set up a payment arrangement to help clear your debt or rearrange your payments to be weekly or fortnightly instead of monthly. 

Ask your power company if you’re eligible to receive a $110 credit on your bill from the Power Credits Scheme. The scheme was set up to help power users who are struggling as the low-user charge is phased out.  

Complain to Utilities Disputes  

You have rights around the supply and disconnection of power and there’s help available if you think you haven’t been treated fairly.  

You can complain to Utilities Disputes, which is a free, independent service that will work with you and the power company to resolve your complaint.  

Get help with budgeting 

You don’t have to struggle with your finances on your own. MoneyTalks is a good place to start if you’d like some free budgeting advice.  

Check if you could be getting financial assistance 

There are a few ways you might be able to get help from Work and Income (WINZ) to pay your power bill.  

The Winter Energy Payment is a regular payment for people who already get support from WINZ.   

WINZ can also provide payments and loans to cover energy debts and help get your power reconnected: www.workandincome.govt.nz.  

Think twice about prepay 

Prepay can seem like a good option if you’re struggling with big monthly bills. With prepay, you can top up your account to keep the power on just like you would a prepay mobile phone.  

But there are some big downsides to prepay power you should be aware of before you sign up. 

Check if you could be on a cheaper power plan 

Have you checked whether you could be paying less for power?  

Our clever Powerswitch calculator will compare 3,464 power plans from 18 power companies to tell you which is the cheapest for you in just 5 minutes.