WA New Account Establishment Fee Rebate - Synergy concession

Eligibility Conditions

The eligibility block is an all set. Source rule: AU_WA_NEW_ACCOUNT_ESTABLISHMENT_FEE_REBATE, group_type B, eligibility_only.

1. State gate: state = WA.
2. Card gate: concession_card_type in {pensioner_concession_card, health_care_card, dva_gold_card}. Slightly narrower than the EAP pool - DVA PCC is not listed for this fee waiver.
3. New-account gate: opening_new_synergy_account = true. Must be a brand-new Synergy account, typically tied to a move-in or first-time household formation. Renaming an existing account does not qualify.

Required source fields: state, concession_card_type, opening_new_synergy_account. The excludes.any, conflicts and affects blocks are all empty - it sits cleanly alongside the EAP, dependent child rebates and any rates rebates that may apply at the new address.

entitlement_scope is one_time per household - you can claim it every time you open a brand-new account at a new address (e.g. multiple moves over years), but never twice on the same account.

Income & Assets Treatment

This rebate has no separate income or assets test. Eligibility is fully delegated to whichever federal concession card you hold (PCC, HCC, LIHCC under HCC, or DVA Gold). Whatever Centrelink or DVA test qualified you for the card has done all the means-testing required.

The new-account gate is a transactional gate, not an economic one - it just identifies the moment a fee would otherwise apply. There is no minimum income, no asset cap, and no requirement to be on a specific Centrelink payment beyond the card itself.

The rebate is not assessable income for any Centrelink, FTB or DVA payment. It is a fee waiver - a reduction in liability rather than a cash transfer - so it does not interact with Rent Assistance, Age Pension, JobSeeker, FTB-A, FTB-B or DSP at all.

How to Apply

Application channels per application_meta: phone and online.

• Phone Synergy on 13 13 53 when arranging a new connection. Mention you hold a PCC, HCC or DVA Gold Card before the agent finalises the account - the establishment fee is then waived in the system from the start.
• Online via Synergy My Account - choose "Move home" or "New connection", and at the concessions step upload a photo of your card. The system removes the establishment fee on submission.
• Forgot to mention the card? Contact Synergy within 14 days of account opening to have the fee retrospectively reversed. Beyond 14 days reversal becomes discretionary.
• Existing customer transferring an account to a new address? This is treated as a brand-new account by Synergy's billing system, so the rebate still applies to the new connection - confirm with the agent.
• The rebate is processed instantly in the connection workflow - no approval lag, no separate payment, no waiting for assessment.

Read the official Synergy rebates and concessions page

Documents to Have Ready

Required evidence per application_meta.evidence_required:

• Concession card in the new account holder's name - PCC, HCC, LIHCC (under HCC), or DVA Gold Card.
• Proof of new address - a lease, settlement statement, or Australia Post change-of-address confirmation.
• If applying online, a clear photo of the card front (showing CRN and expiry) is enough.
• If applying by phone, have your CRN and card expiry date ready - the agent verifies with Services Australia in real time.
• If you are a recently-arrived migrant on a temporary visa, you need an Australian-issued concession card (not an overseas equivalent) to qualify.

Timeline & Renewal

The rebate is processed at the moment of new-account creation - the establishment fee simply does not appear on the first bill. There is no renewal cycle (it is one-off per account), and no expiry date on the rule. Each new move with a new Synergy account creates a fresh opportunity.

If your card lapses after the account is opened, the rebate that was already applied stands - it is not clawed back. The card status only matters at the moment of account creation. Going forward, a lapsed card would affect the EAP and dependent child rebates separately.

Real Scenarios

Scenario 1: Inês, single mum moving from Maddington to Gosnells

Inês is 36, has a child aged 7, was renting in Maddington (postcode 6109) and just signed a new 12-month lease in Gosnells (postcode 6110). She holds a Health Care Card via FTB-A. She closes her Maddington Synergy account online and opens a new Gosnells account in the same My Account session, ticking the concession box and uploading her HCC. Outcome: the new-account establishment fee (around $35) is waived automatically. She also re-registers the card on the new account so the EAP daily credit ($342.85/yr) starts on the next bill.

Scenario 2: Vasco, retiree moving from a unit to a granny flat

Vasco is 82, single, has been on the Age Pension for 15 years and just downsized from a Bedford unit to a granny flat behind his daughter's house in Morley (postcode 6062). He calls Synergy on 13 13 53 to open a new account at the new address (the granny flat has its own meter), mentions his PCC during the call, and the agent confirms the establishment fee is waived. The agent also auto-registers his PCC for the EAP, so the daily credit starts on the next bill. Total saving on this move: $35 establishment fee + $342.85/yr EAP going forward.

Scenario 3: Tiago and Salvador, students sharing a house in Mt Lawley

Tiago (24) and Salvador (22) are full-time students sharing a 3-bed rental in Mt Lawley (postcode 6050). Tiago receives Youth Allowance and holds an HCC; Salvador works part-time and holds no concession card. Tiago opens the new Synergy account in his name and mentions his HCC during the phone call. Outcome: establishment fee waived ($35), and Tiago becomes the named billpayer for any future Synergy concession (EAP, dependent child rebate if applicable). Salvador remains a contributor to the bill but is not the cardholder of record.

Common Mistakes

• Forgetting to mention the card during connection. The fee waiver is processed at account creation. If you finalise the account without flagging your card, the fee lands on the first bill - and reversing it after 14 days becomes discretionary.
• Trying to claim it on Horizon Power. This rule is scoped strictly to Synergy. Horizon has its own (different) connection-charge handling.
• Renaming or transferring an existing account. Only brand-new accounts qualify. Transferring an existing account into a partner's name does not trigger a fresh fee waiver.
• WA Seniors Card holders without a federal card. The card pool here is PCC, HCC, DVA Gold - WA Seniors Card alone does not qualify. Hold an underlying PCC/HCC for this and most other Synergy concessions.
• DVA Pensioner Concession Card holders thinking they qualify. The EAP rules accept DVA PCC, but this fee waiver lists only DVA Gold. Confirm with Synergy before assuming.
• Trying to back-claim months later. The 14-day window is the practical cutoff. Beyond that, Synergy's customer service may decline reversal because the bill has been settled.

Related Links

• WA Energy Assistance Payment - Synergy - the ongoing $342.85/yr daily credit on the new Synergy account. Register the card at the same connection call to start the EAP immediately.
• WA Dependent Child Rebate (Synergy) - first child - $360.51/yr on top of the EAP if your card lists a dependent child. Worth registering at the same connection.
• WA Dependent Child Rebate (Synergy) - additional children - $94.46/yr per additional child beyond the first.
• WA Household Electricity Credit - the federal $150 universal credit applied automatically to Synergy customers in October 2025. No connection-time action required.
• WA Hardship Utility Grant Scheme (HUGS) - one-off crisis grant for households with overdue bills. Different test, different stage of customer journey.
• WA Bond Assistance Loan - useful at the same move stage if you need help with the new tenancy bond. Independent test from this Synergy fee waiver but addresses the same move-in moment.