A power bill you can't pay is frightening. Let's take it in three calm steps.

You're not the only one — not by a long way. This is a free walk-through: what's driving the bill, what you're actually owed by law, and the real help you can get today. No login, no catch, nothing collected.

Asking for help isn't a black mark. Since 2025, your power company has to work with you if you're struggling. Ringing them early is the strong move, not the weak one.
Step one · what you're owed

You have rights, and they're new.

New Zealand's Consumer Care Obligations became law in 2025. Your retailer must:

  • Work out a payment plan with you. Ring them and say the exact words: "I'm having trouble paying my bill." They have to help you find a way through, not just demand it all at once.
  • Keep fees and charges reasonable. Late fees and the like can't be punishing.
  • Never cut off a medically dependent home. If someone there relies on electricity for their health — a device like an oxygen machine or dialysis, or a condition where losing power would put them at serious risk — you can register as a medically dependent consumer. Your doctor signs a short form, you give it to your retailer, and then they can't disconnect you (you still owe the bill, but they can't cut you off). It carries over if you switch companies. It's not automatic for a cold house alone — but if anyone's health depends on power, it's worth asking your GP.

If they won't help or treat you unfairly, you don't have to accept it — see Utilities Disputes below. It's free.

Step two · why it's so high

What's in your home right now?

Tap what's true. It'll point to the likely culprits — the same things a good electrician or energy coach would check first.

Tap a few above and I'll show what's most likely.

Hot water is usually the biggest single cost — often around a third of a power bill. If it feels scalding, turn the cylinder thermostat down to about 60°C (still safe, still kills bugs). A thermostat stuck on, or a slow leak on the hot tap, can quietly double it.
The heat pump itself is cheap to run — the heat leaking out is the cost. Heat one room, shut its door, set it to about 20°C and leave it (it's cheaper than blasting then off). Clean the filters. On an uninsulated house it'll run flat-out in a cold snap, which is the usual winter jump.
An old cold house loses heat as fast as you make it. That's not you using too much — it's the house. Draught-stop doors and windows, close curtains at dusk. And you may get insulation + a heat pump 80–90% paid for through Warmer Kiwi Homes (below).
A warm home for a baby isn't a luxury, it's health. Please don't cut heating to a cold room for a little one — use the help below instead. Cold, damp homes are linked to childhood illness, and that's a fair, strong reason to ask for support. If a child relies on any electrical medical equipment, ask your doctor about medically dependent status too.
An old chest freezer or second fridge can cost a surprising amount — more if the seal's gone or it sits in a warm spot. Check the door seal grips a sheet of paper; defrost thick ice; make sure it's not jammed against a wall or the oven.
Plug-in bar and fan heaters are the most expensive heat there is. One running a few hours a day adds up fast. A single heat pump, or even an electric blanket for bed, costs a fraction. This is often the hidden spike.
Prepay can cost more per unit, and it cuts off the moment credit runs out — that's not a fault in you. Two things worth knowing: the Winter Energy Payment and Work and Income grants below still apply on prepay, and you can switch to a retailer with a proper hardship policy. Ask yours what happens if you fall behind.
A sudden jump usually has one cause, not ten. The common ones: a cold snap (you used more and it was colder), a hot water thermostat or element fault, an estimated reading catching up, or a new appliance. Ask your retailer for the actual meter reads for the last few months — you're allowed to see them.

Want a real person to look with you? EnergyMate gives free energy advice — energymate.nz.

Step three · help you can get today
Work and Income

You don't have to be on a benefit.

A Special Needs Grant can help pay an urgent power bill, and you usually don't pay it back. There's also an Advance, Temporary Additional Support, and — if a health condition means you need more heating — a Disability Allowance. From 1 May to 1 October the Winter Energy Payment ($20.46/week on your own, $31.82 with children) is paid automatically if you're on a benefit or NZ Super.

Call 0800 559 009 See what you can get →
MoneyTalks · free & confidential

Someone in your corner with the numbers.

Free financial mentors who'll go through it all with you — no judgement, and they can talk to the power company on your behalf. Phone, text or chat.

Call 0800 345 123 Free text 4029
Utilities Disputes · free

If your power company won't help.

Independent, free, and on your side. If a retailer won't set up a fair payment plan or is treating you unfairly, they'll step in.

Call 0800 22 33 40
Warmer Kiwi Homes

Fix the cold house, for 80–90% off.

Grants cover most of the cost of ceiling and underfloor insulation, and a heat pump, for older homes — if you have a Community Services Card or live in a lower-income area. It's the thing that lowers the bill for good.

Check if you qualify →
Talk it through

Tell me what's happening.

In your own words. I'll help you work out the next step and point you to the right help. Nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere.