Customer care

Energy Wellbeing

Meridian is committed to supporting customers affected by hardship. We’ve put our money where our mouth is and committed $5 million to helping support our customers who are in energy hardship.

Energy Wellbeing Programme

The cost of living is a real issue for many New Zealanders. To help our most vulnerable customers, we’ve created an Energy Wellbeing Programme with a $5 million investment, aimed at supporting 5,000 Meridian and Powershop households in hardship on their journeys towards energy wellbeing. So far, we’ve helped over 3,000 households across Aotearoa, and we’re continuing to grow, with new partners coming on board in Hawke’s Bay, Waikato, and Hamilton. 

We take a holistic approach to helping customers experiencing energy hardship by combining practical in-home support with education. Our assistance goes beyond bill credits and payment plans. We also fund in-home assessments and tailored solutions, such as installing curtains, insulation, and heat pumps. We work directly with customers by reviewing their accounts, guiding them through online tools, and collaborate to agree realistic payment plans. Most importantly, we encourage open communication to ensure you feel supported every step of the way.

Supporting our Customers Consumer Care Policy

Measuring success through improved wellbeing

Helping people out of energy hardship isn’t just about reducing debt, it’s about creating real, long-term change. Our Energy Wellbeing Programme is making a difference far beyond the power bill, improving things like housing, health, and education for Kiwi households doing it tough.

To make sure we’re delivering the right support, we asked Impact Lab to assess the programme’s wider social impact. The results? For every dollar invested by Meridian between Jan 2022 and June 2023, New Zealand gained $5.20 in social value, from better mental and physical health to warmer homes and improved learning outcomes.

You can read the report here.

Helping customers in energy hardship

Meridian Chief Executive Neal Barclay speaks to the very real issue of energy hardship in our society and what Meridian is doing to help customers in need.

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Tackling Zero

Tackling Zero is Meridian’s quarterly newsletter for people whose roles or studies are focused on sustainability, or for whom this is an area of interest. Each issue will offer Meridian’s insights into a topical sustainability issue, as well as stories on how we, our customers and supply chain partners are tackling sustainability. It also includes links to recent Meridian disclosures such as new policies and reports.


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