Anglicare Australia is calling for urgent action to address rising energy debt, as a new report shows that people on low incomes have almost no money left for energy bills after covering the cost of other essentials.
Anglicare Australia’s 2025 Cost of Living Index looks at minimum wage households and finds that:
– A full-time minimum wage worker has just $33 left after paying for rent, food and transport
– A single parent on the minimum wage has just $1 left, even with government assistance
– A family with two full-time workers and two children has only $5 remaining each week.
“The results of this year’s Cost of Living Index are bleak. After paying for the basics, minimum wage workers are left with almost nothing. In many cases, there’s no money left for energy bills at all,” said Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers.
“We’re seeing more people trapped in energy debt. They are skipping meals, going without heating, and falling behind on bills they’ll never be able to repay.
“Too many households are falling behind and staying behind. Over 330,000 people are struggling to pay back more than $300 million in energy debt – and the number of people with debts over $3,000 is surging.
“People are forced into payment plans they can’t sustain. They carry energy debt from one bill to the next with no chance of catching up, even though energy retailers are making record profits.
“That’s why we’re calling for energy debt relief for people in hardship, and better regulation to stop the gauging of energy costs and helps people to start afresh.
“Energy is not a luxury. It is essential to running a household, staying healthy, and living with dignity. It’s time to rein in profiteering and make sure no one is left in the dark,” Ms Chambers said.