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Cost of living support

Find rebates, concessions, payments and services to help with household, health care, housing, transport and education costs.

No stamp duty for first-time home buyers
From 1 July 2026, first-time home buyers will be exempt from paying stamp duty.
Find out more

Household costs

Concession card needed
Rates help Get help to pay your rates if you're a pensioner, aged 65 or over, in financial hardship or a Special Disability Trust.
Concession card needed
Energy bills Get $800 off your energy bill through the Electricity, Gas and Water Rebate.
Concession card needed
Garden organics bin Check if you can get a free green waste bin.
Concession card needed
Pet registration Get a discount on dog or cat registration fees.
Proof of low income needed
Gas to electric upgrades Get gas appliances replaced and ceiling insulation installed at no cost.
Energy-efficient products Get money back for products that make your home cheaper to run through the Home Energy Support Program.
Bulky waste pickup Book one free bulky waste collection each financial year.
Home energy upgrades Low-interest loans for energy-efficient products or electric cars through the Sustainable Household Scheme.
Home energy and water advice Get free advice to help reduce energy and water use and draught-proof your home.
Rental home energy use Get a free home energy assessment to help make your rental home more comfortable.
Seniors Card Find savings and discounts from participating businesses and government services.

Renting or buying a home

Stamp duty help for home buyers Check if you can pay less, pay nothing or pay later when you buy a home, unit or land.
Rental bond Apply for an interest-free loan to help pay your rental bond.
Affordable rental homes Check if you can rent a home through the Affordable Rental Scheme.
Public housing rent Apply for a discount on your public housing rent.
Affordable homes to buy Check if you can buy a home through the Affordable Home Purchase Scheme.

Health care costs

Concession card needed
New glasses Check if you can get up to $200 off new glasses through the Spectacles Subsidy Scheme.
Concession card needed
Low vision aids Get help with the cost of magnifiers and other aids through the Low Vision Aids Scheme.
Minor injuries and illnesses Get free care at a Walk-in Centre for non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses.
Medical costs Check what health care costs Medicare covers.
Cheaper medicines Check what medicines cost less through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Child development support Get a free child development assessment at a drop-in clinic.
Assistive technology for children Borrow equipment for movement, care, play, transport or communication.
Interstate medical travel Get help with travel and accommodation costs through the Interstate Patient Travel Assistance Scheme.
Ambulance fees Check if ACT Ambulance fees can be covered or waived.

Transport

Concession card needed
Bus and light rail Get free or discounted travel on public buses and light rail.
Concession card needed
Driver licence renewal Get a discount when you renew your driver licence.
Concession card needed
Car registration Get a discount on your car registration.
Concession card needed
Free student travel Check if your child can get free school bus travel through the Student Transport Program.
Student fares Get cheaper bus and light rail travel with MyWay+.
School transport for students with disability Check if your child can get transport to their ACT public school.
Taxi subsidy Get help paying for taxis if you cannot use public transport because of disability.
Free travel for people with low vision Apply for a Vision Impaired Travel Pass for free bus and light rail travel.
Safe driver discount Automatically applied when you renew your driver licence if you meet the safe driving rules.
Transport if regular buses are not accessible Use the Flexible Bus Service to get from home to local places.
Community bus Get picked up and dropped off for local trips if you find it hard to use other transport.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community bus Transport to connect with community and culture in the ACT and surrounding regions.

Education costs

Proof of low income needed
School costs Apply for a one-off payment through the Future of Education Equity Fund.
Three-year-old preschool Get up to 300 hours of free preschool each year.
University and TAFE costs Find Australian Government support for further study.
Fee-free TAFE Find free training places at CIT to learn, retrain or upskill.