Help with the cost of living

At a glance

Right around Australia and the world, cost of living pressures are hurting.

We’ve already delivered real help to household budgets, through measures like:

• Four rounds of the Power Saving Bonus, encouraging households to shop around for a better energy deal.
• A once-off $400 School Saving Bonus, helping families with the cost of uniforms, textbooks, camps and excursions.
• Free Kinder, currently saving families up to $2,600 a year on 3 and 4-year-old kinder.

But we know a lot of families are doing it tough.

It’s why with this Budget, the Victorian Government is delivering a record $2.3 billion to help working people and their families with the cost of living.

Free public transport for under 18s

For parents, every dollar counts.

It’s why we’re making public transport free for kids and teens. Every day.

For families, it’ll deliver savings of up to $755 per child.

With free PT, we’re ensuring cheaper school runs, more affordable weekends – and one less thing for families to worry about.

It’ll make Victoria the first state to introduce free public transport for under 18s, with the investment beginning 1 January 2026.

Fair Fuel Plan

The Government is delivering a new Fair Fuel Plan to cap and lock fuel prices, by requiring servos to publicly report their prices the day before they come into effect and locking them in for 24 hours. This data will be fed into a new Fuel Finder feature on the Service Victoria app, launching later this year.

Free statewide weekend public transport for seniors

Costs can add up – especially for seniors.

It’s why with this Budget, we’re making statewide public transport free for Victorians aged 60 and over on weekends.

From 1 January 2026, this change will help Victorians with a Seniors Card visit the grandkids or experience even more of our state – without the extra expense.

Expanding free pharmacist care

This Budget invests $18 million to enable pharmacists to treat even more conditions – without a trip to the doctor for a prescription.

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

Now, it’ll be made permanent – and bigger.

That means pharmacists will be able to help even more Victorians with even more conditions – including allergies, nausea, high blood pressure and minor wound care, with more conditions added progressively over the next 2 years.

We're also covering the cost of consultation fees – enabling Victorians to access this pharmacist care for free.

Continuing free zoos

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

Helping Victorians reduce power bills

Energy bills are a big pressure on household budgets.

It’s why with this Budget we’re on their side – delivering real help for Victorians to drive down their energy bills.

Already, our Solar Homes and Solar for Apartments programs have helped Victorians install more than 380,000 solar panel, hot water and battery systems with rebates and interest-free loans, saving households up to $1,600 per year on their power bills.

We’ve also brought back the SEC, which is already helping to deliver cheaper, cleaner renewable power and save Victorians money on their energy bills.

This year’s Budget builds on this work with $118 million to help lower power bills and deliver renewable energy, including:

• A new $100 round of the Power Saving Bonus for eligible households with a concession card.
• $30 million to support an extra 27,000 households to install electric heat pumps and solar hot water systems. This switch will save the average household up to $400 on their energy bills – each and every year.
• $12 million to support the rollout of insulation upgrades under our Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) Program. From early 2026, the VEU discount is expected to halve the average cost of ceiling insulation from $3,000 to $1,500, and save a household with no or limited insulation more than $400 a year.
• $26 million to assess and advance more renewable energy projects.

SEC delivering for households

One of the world’s biggest batteries – the Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub (MREH) – is now under construction, thanks to the SEC.

Switching on later this year, the MREH will be one of the world’s biggest batteries and will help ensure reliable, affordable energy for Victorian families.

The SEC has also successfully piloted a one-stop-shop in 3 local government areas, providing tailored advice to Victorians wanting to switch to all electric – including a free digital platform that provides consumers with suggestions on how to reduce their energy bills and connects them with SEC trusted and verified local installers.

The average Victorian household with gas and electric appliances can save $1,400 on their annual energy bill by switching to all electric.

Increased payments for camps, sports and excursions

No one should miss out on the things that make school fun.

But the cost of camps, school sports and excursions can be too much for some families.

That’s why we’re increasing help through the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund.

The fund helps around 200,000 kids in families with a health care or concession card, every year.

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

Because every young Victorian deserves the chance to learn, explore and belong – inside and outside the classroom.

More than 65,000 extra Get Active Kids Vouchers

Playing sport keeps kids active and healthy.

But the cost of uniforms, equipment, memberships and more means some young Victorians are forced to sit on the sidelines.

That’s why with this Budget, we’re delivering more than 65,000 extra Get Active Kids vouchers for families who need them most.

These vouchers, worth up to $200, help with the cost of fees, equipment and uniforms, removing financial barriers and making sure kids have the chance to play the sport they love.

Free Kinder for every 3 and 4-year-old

Free Kinder is saving families up to $2,600 a year – per child.

It’s saving families money, helping parents return to work – and making sure young Victorians get all the benefits of early childhood education.

This year, there are 150,000 enrolments. And because cost is no barrier for families, that number is expected to grow to 160,000 next year.

This Budget invests an additional $859 million to keep delivering this important cost of living relief for Victorian families, while making sure every child gets the very best start in life.

Cost of living package impact for families

Alex is a part-time nurse earning $70,000. She is a single parent with 2 children – Winnie, in Year 7, and 4-year-old Leonard, at kinder. Alex will receive 15 hours of Free Kinder for Leonard per week, saving up to $2,600 a year.

Winnie can take the train, tram or bus to school for free, saving up to $755 a year and will also receive a $400 voucher from the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund and a voucher for up to $200 for sport under the Get Active Kids program.

Alex has a Health Care Card, so she can also receive the $100 Power Saving bonus.

For a family with one child in kinder and one in school, that’s a saving of over $4,000 over the course of the year.