Alice Springs Pensioner Rates Rebate and Council Rates Concession

NTCS Concessions for Alice Springs Ratepayers

Pensioners and eligible card holders who own and live in their home in Alice Springs receive two annual concessions through the NT Concession Scheme:

• Council rates concession: 62.5% of annual property rates, capped at $200 per household per year
• Garbage concession: $52 per household per year in Alice Springs

For a homeowner with $1,100 in general rates and $350 in waste charges, the 62.5% calculation on rates gives $687.50 — but the $200 cap applies. Add the $52 garbage credit and total concessions come to $252, reducing the $1,450 bill to $1,198.

These credits are applied by Alice Springs Town Council after receiving confirmation from the NT Concession and Recognition Unit (NTCRU). You apply to the NTCRU, not the council.

How to Apply

Register with the NTCRU by submitting your NTCS membership application, 100 points of identification, your Centrelink or DVA card copy, and proof of NT residency. After approval, submit your Alice Springs rate notice to register your property. The NTCRU notifies the Town Council, and future rate notices include the credits automatically.

If you already paid this year's rates in full, claim a direct reimbursement by sending the NTCRU your paid rate notice, proof of payment, and a completed Vendor Creation Form with your bank details. Contact them on 1800 777 704 or at [email protected].

Alice Springs Town Council's rates office can be reached on 08 8950 0500 if you need to check whether the NTCRU notification has come through on your account.

ASTC Hardship Policy — Extra Help Beyond the NTCS

Alice Springs Town Council operates its own Rates Concessions Policy (Policy 510), separate from the NTCS. If the $200 rates cap and $52 garbage credit are not enough, you can apply directly to the council for additional hardship relief. The council offers:

• Reduction of rates to the minimum rate amount
• Full rate waiver for extreme hardship (where an income-and-expense assessment shows a deficit)
• Rate deferment — an interest-free charge registered against the land title
• Special payment arrangements

The ASTC hardship application has a deadline: lodge it before 30 September each year. The application uses a standardised income-and-expense net balance test, so you will need to provide financial documentation. You must have claimed the NTCS concession first — the council considers local hardship only after the Territory concession has been applied.

What Happens With Rate Arrears

If you fall behind on rates, do not ignore the notices. Alice Springs Town Council can charge late payment interest and ultimately pursue recovery action under the Local Government Act 2019 (NT). If you are in serious financial difficulty, contact the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 for free, confidential financial counselling. Anglicare NT also provides accredited financial counselling in Alice Springs.

For the full Alice Springs application workflow, including the NTCRU process, the ASTC hardship application, and a rate notice reconciler, see our NT Pensioner Rates Concessions guide.

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