Ceiling insulation upgrade
Two ACT programs help with the cost of getting a ceiling up to R5.0. Which one you can use depends on your circumstances, not just your postcode.
Heating is about 60% of what a Canberra home spends on energy.
That figure comes from the ACT Government's own energy efficiency advice, and it is the reason ceiling insulation matters more here than in most of Australia. Warm air rises, and an uninsulated ceiling is the easiest path out of the house. The ACT Government's guidance is that insulation can halve heating and cooling costs. It is also the upgrade that keeps working with no settings to get wrong, no maintenance, and no running cost of its own.
There are two programs, and they have different tests.
The ActewAGL insulation offer gives up to $2,000 off the installation price plus $600 credited to your electricity bill at $50 a quarter over three years. It needs an ACT address, an ActewAGL electricity plan, a ceiling currently at R2 or less, and either a concession card, a hardship referral, or a tenancy at $660 a week or under — notably, it covers renters. The ACT Government's Home Energy Support program pays half the installation price capped at $2,500, but asks for more: a concession card, owning and occupying the home, an unimproved value at or below $750,000, and a free online workshop. Both are means-tested. If neither fits, the Sustainable Household Scheme lends at 3% instead.
Work out which program you are in
ACT and regional NSW
What support could your ceiling qualify for?
Six questions. Two ACT programs, with different tests — this works out which one you land in, and tells you plainly when neither applies.
No ACT program applies
- Indicative installation
- $2,520–$4,200
- Both ACT rebates are means-tested — each needs a concession card, and the ActewAGL one also accepts a hardship referral or rent at $660 a week or under.
- Without a rebate, the Sustainable Household Scheme lends to ACT homeowners at 3% over up to 10 years — up to $20,000 for new applicants from 1 July 2026.
Rules verified against ActewAGL’s insulation offer and the ACT Government’s Home Energy Support. Installation prices are indicative only — get a quote.
Where your home loses heat
Without insulation
Warm air rises straight out through the ceiling, so the heater runs longer to hold the room where you set it.
Insulated to R5.0
The ceiling holds warmth in, so the room keeps its heat for longer after the heater stops.
A diagram of how heat moves, not a measurement of your home. How much a ceiling upgrade changes things depends on your roof, your heating and how you use it.
How the upgrade works
- Work out which program you are inThe ActewAGL offer needs a concession card, a hardship referral or rent at $660 or under. Home Energy Support needs a card and owner-occupation. The estimator above sorts this out.
- Have the ceiling assessedThe current R-value decides eligibility for the ActewAGL offer, which needs R2 or less. Alexander Watson Insulation carries out that assessment on 02 6181 2750.
- Get it installed to R5.0Both programs require the finished ceiling to reach at least R5.0. Old or damaged batts are removed first.
- The support is appliedThe ActewAGL discount comes off at the time of sale, and the $600 credit follows on your quarterly bills at $50 a quarter for three years. A Home Energy Support rebate is claimed through the ACT Government on 1300 141 777.
Frequently asked questions
You need to live in the ACT, be on an ActewAGL electricity plan, and have ceiling insulation currently rated R2 or less. You also need to hold one of nine concession cards — including the Commonwealth Health Care, Pensioner Concession, Seniors Health and Low Income Health Care cards, and several Veterans' Affairs cards. A hardship referral from a community organisation, or enrolment in ActewAGL's hardship program, also qualifies. Property managers and tenants qualify where the weekly rent is $660 or less.
It pays 50% of the total supply and installation cost, capped at $2,500 for insulation and $5,000 across all measures per household. It is also means-tested: you need a Pensioner Concession Card, DVA Gold Card or Health Care Card, you must own and live in the home, its unimproved value must be $750,000 or less ($300,000 for a multi-storey apartment), and you must attend a free online workshop before applying. The finished ceiling has to reach R5.0. New builds are not eligible.
Neither ACT rebate is available without one. ACT homeowners can still borrow through the Sustainable Household Scheme at 3% over up to ten years with no fees — up to $20,000 for new applicants from 1 July 2026. Insulation is usually one of the cheapest upgrades to do unassisted, and the running-cost saving continues regardless of how it was paid for.
Not as a lump sum. It is applied automatically to your quarterly ActewAGL electricity bill at $50 a quarter, over three years.
Assume not. They are alternatives rather than a stack, and the ActewAGL offer is applied at the point of sale by the installer. If you might qualify for both, ask which leaves you better off before booking — the ActewAGL offer is usually more generous once the bill credit is counted.
ActewAGL's insulation offer is delivered by Alexander Watson Insulation, on 02 6181 2750, who assess your existing ceiling first. ActewAGL's Electrify team can be reached on 02 5110 2528 or electrify@actewagl.com.au.
Have your eligibility confirmed
Have your eligibility checked
We will confirm which program you qualify for and what it would cover. Your answers above come with the enquiry, so you will not be asked them twice.
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