Cost of living support
The 2025 Budget includes a range of concessions, subsidies and incentives aimed at reducing the cost of living for Territorians. This includes:
- $8.7 million to continue to deliver the $200 back to school vouchers
- $6.9 million to continue to deliver the two $100 sports vouchers each year
- $5.7 million to continue the early childhood services subsidy
- $3 million per annum to support free swimming lessons for all primary school students
- $1.36 million for the learn to swim program for children aged zero to 5
- free meningococcal B vaccination program
- free driver’s licence for 12 months
- no increase to car registration costs for 12 months
- HomeGrown Territory and FreshStart housing incentives.
The 2025 Budget also provides $30.7 million to recognise the important contribution of seniors, support carers and concession holders through concession and recognition schemes.
The Territory Government will secure the Territory’s energy future by progressing vital reforms to improve grid reliability, keeping prices affordable, and ensure a stable and well-managed energy transition. To protect households and businesses, retail electricity price increases for most customers have been capped at 3% in 2025-26, benefiting around 85,000 households and businesses.
The 2025 Budget provides funding of $206 million in community service obligation (CSO) funding to the Power and Water Corporation and electricity retailers to subsidise utility costs. This includes:
- $191.7 million to maintain electricity supply to households and small business customers at uniform prices across the Territory, at below cost of supply
- $14.4 million for various pensioner and carer concessions
- $0.4 million to subsidise water and sewerage services for a number of religious and charitable organisations.
In 2025-26, the increased investment in the CSO means an average electricity subsidy of around $1,700 per household. Average small businesses will save around $2,900, and large businesses will save around $27,900, compared to if no CSO was provided.
