Are WA Waste and Rubbish Charges Covered by Pensioner Concessions?

Waste Charges Are Not Covered — Full Stop

One of the most common misconceptions about WA pensioner rates concessions is that the rebate covers your entire rate notice. It does not. Waste management and rubbish collection charges are explicitly excluded from the state concession scheme under the Rates and Charges (Rebates and Deferments) Act 1992, and they must be paid in full by the due date regardless of which concession card you hold.

This means that even if you receive a 50% rebate on your general council rates through a Pensioner Concession Card, a $350 waste charge on the same rate notice gets no discount at all.

What Your Rate Notice Charges Actually Look Like

A typical WA council rate notice bundles several charges together. Here is how the concession applies to each:

Eligible for concession:

• General municipal rates — 50% rebate for PCC/SCC holders (capped at $750), 25% for Seniors Card only (capped at $100)
• Emergency Services Levy — 50% or 25% rebate (uncapped)
• Underground power connection charges — same percentage rebates

Not eligible for concession:

• Waste management and rubbish collection — pay in full
• Swimming pool inspection fees — pay in full
• Specified area rates — pay in full
• Security service charges — pay in full
• Legal cost recovery fees — pay in full

The waste charge exclusion is not a council-by-council decision. It is set at the state level, so no shire in WA can offer a pensioner discount on rubbish collection under the concession scheme.

Can You Defer Waste Charges?

No. Waste charges are also excluded from the rate deferral mechanism. Tier 1 cardholders (PCC, SCC, or dual WASC+CSHC holders) who choose to defer their council rates must still pay their waste charges by the due date. If waste charges go unpaid, they can be recovered as other overdue council service charges. A council that has resolved to impose late payment interest can charge it up to the statutory maximum of 11% per year.

This is an important planning detail. When calculating what deferral actually costs or saves you, the waste charge is a fixed annual outlay either way.

What If You Genuinely Cannot Afford the Waste Charge?

Under section 6.47 of the Local Government Act 1995, a council may resolve by absolute majority to waive a rate or service charge, or grant another concession. This is separate from the state-funded concession scheme and does not create an automatic right to relief; councils assess hardship applications under their own policies, typically requiring evidence of severe financial hardship.

If you are struggling to pay the non-concessional charges on your rate notice, contact your local council's rates team before the due date. For free, confidential financial counselling, the National Debt Helpline is available on 1800 007 007.

The WA Rates Concessions Guide includes a line-item decoder worksheet that maps every charge on a typical WA rate notice to show exactly which lines attract concessions and which ones you need to budget for separately.

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