The Good Initiative

There is no shame in needing a bit of help. If you're finding it hard to pay your bill, we encourage you to get in touch as early as possible so we can work through options together. 

Need support paying your bill? 

Call us 
0800 224 424
Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm 

Messenger 
We're available on Messenger for non-urgent questions and support. 

WhatsApp 
Message us through WhatsApp via the app or web. We'll respond as soon as we can. 

When you contact us, let us know you're experiencing hardship or financial difficulty so we can connect you with the right team. 

Our Customer Wellbeing team will take the time to understand your situation and work with you to find a solution that fits your circumstances. 

When you contact us, we will: 

• Work with you on a payment plan that suits your situation. 
• Discuss weekly, fortnightly, or monthly payment options to help with budgeting. 
• Review whether you're on the right plan for your household's needs. 
• Help you find support and solutions that are sustainable for your circumstances. 

While you're working with us, we commit to: 

• Keeping your services connected wherever possible. 
• Not referring your debt to a collection agency while you're actively engaging with us. 

Your power bill covers more than just the electricity you use. 

Roughly: 

• One-third pays for generating electricity, including from hydro, geothermal, wind and solar sources. 
• One-third covers distribution charges, which are the costs of delivering electricity through local lines networks to your home. 
• One-third covers other costs such as national transmission, metering services, customer support, billing, and retail operations. 

Many of these costs are shared across the electricity system and are not directly controlled by retailers. 

Simple changes around the home can help reduce your energy use and keep costs down. 

Some easy ways to save include: 

• Turn off devices such as computers, monitors, modems and printers when they're not being used. 
• Make the most of natural light and fresh air before using heating or cooling appliances. 
• Switch to energy-efficient LED lighting. 
• Dry clothes outdoors when possible instead of using a dryer. 
• Let food cool before putting it in the fridge and avoid leaving the fridge door open longer than necessary. 

For more practical ideas, visit our Energy Saving Tips page. 

The Good Initiative is Contact's $7.5 million annual programme that supports the wellbeing of customers and communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Through customer support programmes, community partnerships and targeted wellbeing initiatives, we're helping people access the support they need and strengthening the communities we're part of.

If you'd like to learn more about The Good Initiative, you can contact us through our usual customer channels and we'll make sure your enquiry reaches the right team.

The Good Initiative reflects our commitment to creating positive impact beyond energy, helping customers and communities thrive.