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What if someone at my house needs Life Support?
What if someone at my house needs Life Support?

Electricity, Life Support

Ben Kessler avatar
Written by Ben Kessler
Updated over a week ago

If you are switching to Sorted you need to let us know your life support requirements so we can do our best to keep your property supplied with electricity at all times. See 'How to register' below for details.

If you are uncertain about the status of a Life Support requirement, please contact us.

What is life support?

If you or someone in your household uses one of the below life support equipment, you may be eligible for protection under the life support energy regulations. 

This means your address is registered with your local network and they will advise you in advance of any electricity outages so you can plan accordingly.

It also means in the event of a power outage your property will be on the priority list for reconnection of supply. 

What is classed as life support equipment? 

  • An oxygen concentrator

  • An intermittent peritoneal dialysis machine

  • A kidney dialysis machine

  • A chronic positive airways pressure respirator

  • Crigler-Najjar syndrome phototherapy equipment

  • A ventilator for life support

  • Any other equipment that a doctor says you need for life support.

If you have any questions about the equipment you or someone in your home uses and whether it is life support equipment, please talk to your doctor. 

South Australian customers will need to arrange registration & check eligibility of life support equipment directly with with the SA government through their Concessions and Support Services (CASS) - more information available here.

Am I eligible for life support concession?

In some states there are concessions and rebates for customers with Life Support Equipment. If you are eligible select Concessions when you sign-up for Electricity on the Sorted App, or by visiting My Account.

What to do if the power goes out?

Your power can go out without warning. It is important that you have a plan if this happens. Make note of:

  • Where will you go?

  • How will you get there?

  • How will you take your equipment?

  • Who will you contact? (Keep a physical list of emergency contacts somewhere safe)

  • How will you contact them?

  • Is your backup equipment fully charged at all times? 

Why do you need to register if you have someone at your property using life support equipment?

It’s important your distributor and retailer know so we can do our best to keep your property on electricity supply. 

Once registered, this means that you are given additional notice (4 days notice) of any planned power outages and that your property is treated as priority for reconnection if and when there are any outages.

How to register 

  1. Download the relevant form from the bottom of this page.

  2. Complete the form.

  3. Have the form signed by your doctor.

    (Please note that if your registered address is outside Victoria and if you have an existing ‘Medical Confirmation Form’ dated and signed by a medical practitioner, you can send us that form instead of providing us with a new one. The form should meet the following requirements:

- The Medical Confirmation Form is signed and dated within the past 4 years by a medical practitioner; and

- The Form is legible (the print is readable).

- The Form certifies that you or someone in your household requires life support equipment and specifies the equipment type

If you submitted a Medical Confirmation form to your previous retailer, you are able to request a copy back from them if you left that retailer less than 110 business days ago.

If you are applying for a life support rebate in NSW, you must still complete a new Life Support Rebate application form.)

4. Return the completed & signed form back to us by emailing to hello@sortedservices.com or posting to:

Sorted Services
11-13 Cubitt Street
Cremorne, VIC 3121
Australia

5. We will confirm receipt and notify the distributor of the life support equipment.

South Australian residents will need to arrange registration of life support equipment directly with Concession and Support Services (CASS). CASS will then contact us once the application has been accepted and we will notify the distributor that there is life support equipment at the property. 

Important contacts  

NSW Government Service Line- 13 77 88
QLD Government Service Line 13 74 68
ACT Government Service Line 13 14 93
SA Government Service Line 1800 307 758

De-registration of Life Support 

There are situations that result in de-registration of life support at your premise.

If we don't hear from you

If we haven’t received the completed application forms, or haven’t heard from you within 50 business days of the account being set up we will notify the distributor that the application is incomplete. The site will not be registered as having life support equipment, meaning that you will not be protected by life support regulations. 

We will actively try to contact you until we receive the necessary documents, using the email address, physical site address and contact number that you have provided at the point of setting your account up.  

If you leave Sorted Services

If you’ve registered your requirement for Life Support Equipment with us, your registration will cease and you’ll need to apply to have your Life Support Equipment registered with your new retailer. If you’ve registered with your distributor, they’ll let your new retailer know.

If you move house

Your registration is specific to your current address, if you move to a new house you’ll need call us on 1300 484 141 to re-apply to have your Life Support Equipment registered at your new address. 

If you no longer need life support registered at your address

Call us on 1300 484 141 and we will update your account. We’ll send you a confirmation letter to confirm when the Life Support registration is being de-registered from your account.

Your rights 

  • Once your property is registered as having life support equipment, you will receive 4 days written notice of any retailer or distributor planned power outages.

  • Once your property is registered as having life support equipment, your electricity account will not be disconnected without your explicit consent.

Registration forms 

NSW - NSW customers will need to complete this form and return it to us (Sorted Services), or your chosen retailer if that is not Sorted Services.

QLD - QLD customers will need to request a form from the Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme (MASS) and return it to us (Sorted Services), or your chosen retailer if that is not Sorted Services.

ACT - ACT customers will need to complete the relevant form and return it to us (Sorted Services), or your chosen retailer if that is not Sorted Services.

SA - SA customers will need to apply for registration directly with Concession & Support Services (CASS).

VIC - VIC customers will need to complete the relevant form and return it to us (Sorted Services), or your chosen retailer if that is not Sorted Services.

Sorted Services Electricity is a trading name of Energy Locals Pty Ltd. 

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