Home Energy Saving Scheme (HESS)

Home Energy Saving Scheme (HESS) supported low-income households across Australia experiencing difficulty meeting and paying for their energy needs. HESS provided access to energy efficiency and financial management information and education, advice, advocacy, support, referral to the No Interest Loans Scheme if appropriate and integrated service coordination around energy efficiency and financial management. The Scheme was delivered through existing not-for-profit organisations providing general financial counselling services to individuals and focused on working with households to improve their financial and energy management practices and engagement with the energy market. In this way, it sought to build on and complement other financial management and energy initiatives. An important part of the Scheme was to link participants with the No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS) as appropriate to enable them to access capital to make longer term energy efficiency improvements. The Scheme is no longer available