Concession and hardship support
Talk to us about your situation - apply for rates hardship assistance, or phone us on 03 9209 6777.
Pensioner rebates
If you are a pensioner and pay rates in Port Phillip you can apply for 2 rebates to help reduce the amount you pay:
- Victorian Government Pension Rebate – up to 50% of your rates (to a maximum of $253.20).
- Port Phillip rebate – up to $200 or a maximum of 50% of rates payable when combined with the Victorian Government rebate.
You can apply for both rebates. They have the same eligibility criteria.
Find out if you are eligible
To get the rebate you must be a pensioner and live at the property you are applying for. You must not have received a rebate on any other property in the same financial year.
You must have one of these pensioner concession cards:
- Centrelink or the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA)
- Gold Repatriation Health Card – Totally and Permanently Incapacitated (DVA)
- Gold Repatriation Health Card – War Widow ( DVA).
Apply for a pensioner rebate
Before you can apply for a pension rates rebate you need to go to:
- download and fill out the Municipal Rates Concession application form
- scan a copy of your pension card
- attach the form and scanned image of your card to your application.
If you qualify this year, the rebate will be applied on your rates account next year.
Not online? Ask for a paper form with a reply paid envelope – phone us on 03 9209 6777
Hardship support
If you are finding it hard to pay your rates, talk to us. We offer support services including financial counselling, payment plans, deferrals, and in exceptional circumstances waivers.
You can apply for hardship support online or phone us on 03 9209 6777 for a confidential conversation.
Payment plans
If you have fallen behind on your payments or are about to, talk to us about setting up a payment plan to catch up. No interest will be charged on payment plans up to 1 July 2023.
Deferral of rates and charges
If you can’t enter into a payment plan, you can apply to defer paying the rates you owe until 30 June 2023, and to not pay interest.
Waiver of rates and interest charges
If your rates are overdue you can apply to have the late payment interest charges waived. You will need to prove your situation and agree to pay your rates by a new due date.
One-off waiver of rates and charges
If you can’t pay your rates because of extreme financial hardship you can apply for a one-off waiver. You must show that you have no way of paying the account without assistance, and you must prove your situation.
The waiver is up to 50 per cent of the general rate (up to a maximum of $750). The waiver is only available for your principal place of residence or business.
Financial counselling
Talk to a counsellor for help managing your debt. Services are free and confidential.
National Debt Helpline
Website: National Debt Helpline
Phone: 1800 007 007
Small business support: 1800 413 828
Port Phillip Community Group
Website: PPCG financial counselling
Phone: 1300 015 500
MoneySmart
Free service from the Australian Government providing advice to help you manage your money. Go to MoneySmart.
More about rates support
Find out more about how we support ratepayers who find it hard to pay - read our Financial Hardship Policy (PDF 403 KB).
Contact the rates team
To talk to us about your rates send a direct message, or phone us on 03 9209 6777 during business hours Monday to Friday.