Orange pensioners benefit from Council rates rebate

Pensioners in Orange will benefit from more than $1.68 million in rate reductions under this year’s draft Council budget.

The draft budget for 2024/25 is currently on exhibition for community comment.

Orange Mayor Jason Hamling said the rates rebate was an important part of the Council income plans.

“The state government provides for rates support for pensioners but the amount offered voluntarily by Orange City Council amounts to more than double that,” Cr Hamling said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the pensioner rebate gets overlooked among the rest of the Council’s spending plans, and I’d certainly encourage any pensioner who doesn’t know about it to find out more and apply.”

“Last year when we did some publicity about the rebate, there was an upswing in the numbers who applied. I’m hoping that will happen again.”

The NSW Government’s (statutory) pensioner rebate is made up of:

• a 50% rebate on rates and domestic waste management charges to a maximum of $250, and
• a 50% rebate on water and sewer charges to a maximum of $87.50 each.

It is estimated that this statutory rebate for 2024/25 will benefit Orange pensioners by $1,188,650 ($653,650 state - $535,000 OCC).

In addition, Orange City Council offers a further local (voluntary) rebate to eligible pensioners, which varies depending on when they bought their residence.

Eligible pensioners who were owner-occupiers before 30 June 2006 receive an additional rebate worth 10% of their total rates bill. Pensioners who became owner-occupiers after this date can receive a rebate worth 5% of their total rates bill.

The voluntary rebate is estimated to benefit ratepayers by $495,230.

Around 2,700 of Orange’s 16,000 Orange residences are eligible to receive a rebate, which gives an average discount of around $550 per year for rates and water accounts.

Under state regulations, eligible pensioners are someone with:

• a Pensioner Concession Card issued by Services Australia (Centrelink) or
• a Department of Veterans Affairs Gold Card embossed with either TPI (Totally Permanently Incapacitated) or EDA (Extreme Disablement Adjustment) and who own and occupy their residence as their sole or principal place of living.

“The system for applying for a rebate is straightforward, and I’d encourage any eligible pensioner to find out more,” Cr Hamling said. “They only have to apply once. The form gives the Council permission to check their eligibility every year after that.”

“If people hadn’t heard about this before and are applying for the first time, Council will also credit them this benefit for the last two years.”