Care Finding Service: Cost of Living Help for Families

 

The May Budget 2025 presents significant support for the cost of living, precisely when and where it is most necessary.

 

At a glance

  • $2.3 billion in assistance for the cost of living – the largest investment of its kind in Victoria’s history
  • $320 million to provide free public transport for those under 18, and free statewide public transport for seniors on weekends
  • $50 million to introduce a new $100 Power Saving Bonus for Victorians who require it the most
  • $18 million to enable pharmacists to treat a greater number of Victorians and a wider range of conditions, saving families both time and money compared to a GP visit

Across Australia and around the globe, the pressures of living costs are affecting many.

The Government has already provided meaningful assistance to household budgets through initiatives such as:

  • Four rounds of the Power Saving Bonus, encouraging households to seek better energy deals.
  • A one-time $400 School Saving Bonus, which helps families with the costs of uniforms, textbooks, camps, and excursions.
  • Free Kinder, currently saving families up to $2,600 annually for 3 and 4-year-old kinder.

However, many families are still facing challenges.

This is why, with this Budget, the Victorian Government is delivering a historic $2.3 billion to support working individuals and their families with the cost of living.

 

 

Cost of Living Package

  • At Home

This Budget allocates $156 million in assistance for the cost of living to help Victorians save money at home, which includes:

  • A new $100 Power Saving Bonus for those Victorians who require it the most.
  • An additional 27,000 rebates for electric heat pumps and solar hot water systems.
  • An expansion of the VEU, offering financial support to assist Victorians in enhancing their homes’ energy efficiency and lowering their energy expenses.
  • Increased funding for food relief organizations.
  • Enhanced support for Good Money’s no-interest loans and Mortgage Stress Victoria.

 

If you are unwell

This Budget allocates $529 million to enhance the affordability and accessibility of care through:

  • Reducing time and expenses associated with GP appointments by allowing pharmacists to dispense medications that typically require a doctor’s prescription.
  • Providing complimentary care at our network of Urgent Care Clinics.
  • Offering free mental health assistance through the expanded network of Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals.
  • Delivering free emergency care from home via an expanded Victorian Virtual Emergency Department.
  • Ensuring free care for women’s health through a specialized network of reproductive and sexual health hubs and virtual services.

On the move

This Budget allocates $320 million to reduce transportation expenses through:

  • Complimentary public transport for children and teenagers under 18.
  • Free statewide public transport for seniors during weekends.
  • Ongoing provision of fairer fares, with the travel cost on V/Line services limited to the price of a daily metro ticket, made possible by investments in the 2023/24 Budget.

For children

This Budget allocates $1.3 billion to assist families with children in school or kindergarten, as well as students at TAFE, including:

  • Complimentary Kinder, which saves families up to $2,600 for each child annually.
  • Over 65,000 additional Get Active Kids vouchers.
  • Enhanced payments through the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund.
  • Free overnight, multi-night, and day-program support for parents with children under 4 at Early Parenting Centres throughout our state.
  • Complimentary dental services for children through Smile Squad, which received an extra $17 million in funding for 2023-24 and has already benefited more than 127,000 young Victorians.
  • The Free Glasses for Kids program, which was expanded in last year’s Budget, has already provided over 48,000 free vision tests and more than 8,600 pairs of free glasses.
  • Free School Breakfast Clubs, which were also expanded in last year’s Budget, offer healthy and nutritious breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and take-home food packs at more than 1,200 schools.
  • Victorians under the age of 16 can visit our wonderful zoos for free on weekends, public holidays, and during school holidays.

Free transportation services for those under 18 years old

For parents, every dollar is crucial.

This is the rationale behind the Government’s decision to provide free public transport for children and teenagers. Every single day.

For families, this will lead to savings of up to $755 for each child.

Through the provision of free public transport, the Government is ensuring lower costs for school trips, more economical weekends, and relieving one burden for families.

This initiative will make Victoria the first state to offer free public transport for those under 18, with the rollout beginning on 1 January 2026.

Fair Fuel Program

The Government is rolling out a new Fair Fuel Program to establish a cap and secure fuel prices. This initiative will require service stations to publicly report their prices a day in advance of their implementation, locking them in for a full 24 hours. This information will be utilized in a new Fuel Finder feature on the Service Victoria app, which is expected to launch later this year. 

 

 

 

Free statewide weekend public transport for seniors

Costs can accumulate, particularly for seniors.

This is why, with this Budget, the Government is making statewide public transport complimentary for Victorians aged 60 and older on weekends.

Effective from 1 January 2026, this change will assist Victorians with a Seniors Card in visiting their grandchildren or discovering more of our state, without the added financial burden.

 

 

Expanding free pharmacist services

This Budget invests $18 million to allow pharmacists to manage an even greater number of conditions, without requiring a doctor’s visit for a prescription.

Previously trialed as the Community Pharmacy Pilot, this initiative has already supported over 44,000 Victorians with the resupply of contraceptive pills, treatment for uncomplicated urinary tract infections, and access to travel health advice and vaccinations.

Now, it will be made a permanent and larger program.

This means pharmacists will be able to assist even more Victorians with a wider range of conditions – including allergies, nausea, high blood pressure, and minor wound care, with additional conditions being progressively added over the next two years.

The Government is also covering the costs of consultation fees, enabling Victorians to access this pharmacist care free of charge. 

 

 

 

Continuing free zoo access

This Budget allocates $15 million to ensure that young Victorians under 16 can continue to visit our fantastic zoos for free, including Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary, Kyabram Fauna Park, and Werribee Open Range Zoo – on weekends, public holidays, and during school holidays.

 

 

 

Assisting Victorians in lowering their energy expenses

Energy costs significantly strain household finances.

This is why, with this Budget, the Government is supporting them – providing tangible assistance for Victorians to reduce their energy expenses.

To date, the Solar Homes and Solar for Apartments initiatives have enabled Victorians to install over 380,000 solar panels, hot water systems, and battery systems through rebates and interest-free loans, resulting in savings of up to $1,600 annually on their energy expenses.

The Government has also reinstated the SEC, which is already contributing to the provision of more affordable, cleaner renewable energy and helping Victorians save on their energy costs.

This year’s Budget expands upon these efforts with an allocation of $118 million aimed at reducing energy expenses and promoting renewable energy, which includes:

  • A new $100 round of the Power Saving Bonus for eligible households holding a concession card.
  • $30 million to assist an additional 27,000 households in installing electric heat pumps and solar hot water systems. This transition is projected to save the average household up to $400 on their energy expenses annually.
  • $12 million to facilitate the implementation of insulation upgrades through our Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) Program. Starting in early 2026, the VEU discount is anticipated to reduce the average cost of ceiling insulation from $3,000 to $1,500, saving a household with inadequate or no insulation over $400 each year.
  • $26 million to evaluate and promote further renewable energy projects.

SEC’s Initiatives for Households

The SEC is facilitating the construction of the Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub (MREH), which is set to be one of the largest batteries in the world.

Expected to be activated later this year, the MREH will play a crucial role in providing reliable and affordable energy to families in Victoria.

In addition, the SEC has successfully introduced a one-stop shop in three local government areas, offering personalized advice to Victorians looking to transition to all-electric systems. This includes a no-cost digital platform that provides consumers with strategies to decrease their energy bills and connects them with SEC-approved local installers.

By transitioning to all-electric systems, the average Victorian household that uses both gas and electric appliances can achieve savings of $1,400 on their annual energy expenses. 

 

 

Increased funding for camps, sports, and excursions

No child should be deprived of the enjoyable aspects of school.

However, the expenses associated with camps, school sports, and excursions can be prohibitive for certain families.

This is why the Government is enhancing support through the Camps, Sports, and Excursions Fund.

Each year, the fund assists approximately 200,000 children from families holding a health care or concession card.

With this Budget, annual payments will rise from $154 for primary school students and $256 for secondary school students to $400, effective from 1 January 2026.

Every young Victorian deserves the opportunity to learn, explore, and feel a sense of belonging, both in and out of the classroom.

Over 65,000 additional Get Active Kids Vouchers

Engaging in sports promotes physical activity and health among children.

However, the expenses associated with uniforms, equipment, memberships, and more compel some young Victorians to remain inactive.

This is why, in this Budget, the Government is providing over 65,000 additional Get Active Kids vouchers for families in greatest need.

These vouchers, valued at up to $200, assist with the costs of fees, equipment, and uniforms, eliminating financial obstacles and ensuring that children have the opportunity to participate in the sports they enjoy.

Free Kindergarten for every child aged 3 and 4

Free Kindergarten is saving families as much as $2,600 annually per child.

It is reducing expenses for families, facilitating parents’ return to the workforce, and ensuring that young Victorians receive all the advantages of early childhood education.

This year, there are 150,000 enrollments. Given that cost is not a hindrance for families, this figure is anticipated to rise to 160,000 next year.

This Budget allocates an additional $859 million to continue providing this vital cost-of-living support for Victorian families, while ensuring that every child receives the best possible start in life.

 

 

 

Assistance for those facing the greatest challenges

  • Support for food relief organizations

The rising cost of living has led to an increasing number of Australians depending on food relief organizations for assistance.

In this Budget, the Government is allocating an additional $18 million in funding to bolster their efforts. This includes:

  • $9 million to enhance our Community Food Relief Program, providing grants to support frontline organizations. This funding will also aid in strengthening local and statewide food distribution networks. Specifically, it will assist Foodbank in delivering 480,000 kilograms of food to 6 regional Foodshares, and over 6 million kilograms to approximately 500 registered charity partners throughout Victoria.
  • $6 million to expand our support for regional Foodshares in Albury–Wodonga, Geelong, Bendigo, Shepparton, Mildura, and Warrnambool.
  • $3 million for Foodbank’s GROW program, ensuring that surplus farm produce, which would otherwise be wasted, is utilized to assist Victorians facing food insecurity.
  • Expansion of Good Money’s no-interest loans

For numerous Australians, an unforeseen expense can lead to stress, sacrifice, or falling behind financially. Therefore, when their vehicle breaks down or an appliance requires repair, they often find themselves resorting to predatory lenders.

Good Shepherd’s Good Money program offers Victorians no-interest loans of up to $2,000 for appliances, furniture, or car repairs, and up to $3,000 for a bond on a new rental property.

The Government will support Good Shepherd in assisting even more Victorians by providing an additional $5.1 million in funding. This investment will allow the Good Money network to extend its reach to more Victorians, ensuring that a stroke of bad luck does not result in severe financial repercussions.

  • Expanded support for Mortgage Stress Victoria

When you find it challenging to manage your mortgage repayments, it can be tough to figure out where to seek assistance. Nevertheless, Mortgage Stress Victoria is here to help – offering advice, continuous representation, and support to ensure that people can stay in their homes.

An additional $4 million will support Mortgage Stress Victoria in reaching more Victorians, through their team of attorneys, social workers, and financial consultants.

 

 

Example of the impact of the cost of living package on families

Alex, a part-time nurse with an annual income of $70,000, is a single mother of two children: Winnie, who is in Year 7, and Leonard, who is 4 years old and attending kindergarten. Alex will benefit from 15 hours of Free Kinder for Leonard each week, which amounts to a yearly saving of up to $2,600.

Winnie is eligible to travel to school for free via train, tram, or bus, resulting in an annual saving of up to $755. Additionally, she will receive a $400 voucher from the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund, along with a voucher worth up to $200 for sports through the Get Active Kids program.

 

As Alex holds a Health Care Card, she is also entitled to a $100 Power Saving bonus. For a family with one child in kindergarten and another in school, this totals over $4,000 in savings throughout the year.