How to Apply for the Cost of Living Concession in South Australia

One Form Covers Four Concessions

ConcessionsSA runs a unified application system. Submitting one Household Concessions Application triggers eligibility assessments for four separate programs at once: the Cost of Living Concession (COLC), the water rate concession, the sewerage rate concession, and the Emergency Services Levy (ESL) remission.

You do not need to apply separately for each one. One form, one submission, four assessments.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather these before you sit down to apply:

• Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN) or DVA File Number — this is how ConcessionsSA verifies your card status electronically through Centrelink Confirmation eServices
• Most recent electricity bill showing your account number
• Most recent SA Water bill showing your account number
• Emergency Services Levy (ESL) assessment notice (homeowners only)
• Bank account details — a valid BSB and account number for EFT payment of the $270.60 COLC
• ATO Notice of Assessment — only if you are applying under the low-income provisions without a concession card

If someone else is applying on your behalf, they will need a registered Enduring Power of Attorney or a ConcessionsSA Authority to Act form. Helping fill out the form is fine, but signing it or receiving confidential welfare data requires formal legal authority.

Applying Online Through the ConcessionsSA Portal

The online application is at the SA.GOV.AU concessions portal. You do not need a mySAGOV account to apply — the form collects your identity verification details directly.

Work through each section of the Household Concessions Application and Update Form. The portal will ask about your living arrangements, card details, utility accounts, and bank information. Once submitted, ConcessionsSA verifies your card status electronically with Centrelink or DVA.

Applying by Paper

If you prefer not to use the online portal:

• Download the standard application form (PDF, 375.4 KB) or the Easy Read version (PDF, 300.4 KB) from SA.GOV.AU
• Phone ConcessionsSA on 1800 307 758 to request a form by post
• Write to GPO Box 292, Adelaide SA 5001

Non-English speakers can access interpreting services on 1800 280 203. TTY users connect through 8226 6789.

After You Submit

ConcessionsSA checks your eligibility automatically using electronic data-matching with Centrelink and DVA. Manual documentation is only triggered if the electronic check fails.

If approved, the COLC payment of $270.60 arrives in your nominated bank account between August and December 2026 — look for SA GOV COLC or DHS Controlled on your statement. Water and sewerage concessions are applied directly to your SA Water quarterly bills. The ESL remission appears on your annual ESL assessment.

If something is missing or rejected, ConcessionsSA will contact you. Existing recipients whose circumstances have not changed do not need to reapply — your eligibility is re-validated automatically each year.

The Deadline That Matters

New applications and change-of-circumstances updates must be lodged by 31 December 2026 for the 2026–27 financial year. Applications received from 1 January 2027 roll into the following year. The COLC cannot be backdated, so missing this deadline means losing the full year's payment.

Getting the Full Picture

The ConcessionsSA application is one piece of SA's rates relief system. The SA Council Rates Help guide walks through the full cross-agency workflow — what ConcessionsSA handles, what your local council handles, and what falls to the Valuer-General — so you know exactly where each question goes.

See more South Australia guides →