Small Business Savings: Fuel, ATO Support & Smarter Cost Control

Costs are up. That part isn’t new. What is catching more businesses out is how quietly it’s happening. Margins feel tighter, but there’s no single decision you can point to and say, “that’s the problem.” More often, it’s the accumulation. The smaller costs that haven’t been reviewed in a while. The things that feel “about right” but aren’t being questioned.

That’s where we’re seeing the biggest opportunities right now.

Fuel Costs: Are You Claiming What You’re Entitled To?

Fuel is one of those costs that gets processed without much thought. It’s part of the job, so it moves through. At the same time, fuel tax credits remain one of the most commonly underclaimed areas.

Fuel Tax Credits (FTC)

If your business uses fuel for machinery, equipment or eligible vehicles, you may be entitled to claim back a portion of the fuel excise.

What matters in practice:

Claims are made through your BAS
Rates change regularly, and getting them right matters
For April to June 2026, many rates sit around 20.6 cents per litre
You can generally go back up to four years to cover missed credits

What we tend to see isn’t major mistakes. It’s small gaps. A rate slightly off. Usage not fully captured. A claim that hasn’t been reviewed in years. Individually, they don’t stand out. Over time, they do.

Temporary Fuel Relief (2026)

There's short-term relief available, including:

A reduction in fuel excise of approximately 32 cents per litre (Apr to Jun 2026)
Additional ATO support for impacted businesses

Timing here isn’t a detail. It’s the difference. These measures are time-sensitive, so it’s worth ensuring they’re factored into your current position, not picked up retrospectively.

20% Rego Rebate for Eligible Victorians

The Victorian Government is offering a 20% rebate on light vehicle registration fees paid between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026. Applications open via Service Victoria from 1 June, providing a simple way to ease cost-of-living pressures.

There’s no complexity here. Just a straightforward saving that can get missed.

ATO Support: More Flexible Than Many Realise

If cash flow is under pressure, the ATO is continuing to take a more flexible, commercially aware approach, provided businesses engage early and can demonstrate financial pressure due to fuel cost rises.

Support options can include:

Payment plans tailored to your cash flow (up to 36 months in some cases)
GIC remission (in some cases to reduce interest costs)
Penalty relief in genuine and demonstrated cases of financial pressure
PAYG instalment variations where income has softened

The difference tends to come down to timing. Early conversations create options. Waiting tends to narrow them.

Where Small Changes Drive Real Savings

Beyond formal rebates and relief, the biggest gains often come from tightening everyday processes:

Accurate fuel tracking
Ensures you’re capturing the full value of eligible claims
Clear separation of business and personal use
Reduces compliance risk and avoids under-claiming
Quarterly cost reviews
Identifies savings opportunities earlier - rather than at year-end
Using ATO tools and calculators
Helps validate claims and reduce errors
Early conversations with your advisor
Many opportunities are missed simply because they’re not explored in time

Look for simple, quieter wins: review unused subscriptions, streamline admin through automation, explore energy-efficient equipment upgrades (and available rebates), and reduce waste from over-ordering or spoilage. Cross-training staff can also boost productivity and resilience using your existing team, without adding headcount.

No single item changes the business. Together, they do.

Smarter spending isn’t about cutting everything back. It’s about knowing what’s worth keeping, what needs adjusting and what’s no longer serving a purpose.

Final Thought

In this environment, protecting margin isn’t just about cutting spend. It’s about being more deliberate.

Most of what we’ve covered isn’t new. But used well, they can materially improve cash flow and reduce pressure across the business.

If it’s been a while since this has been reviewed properly, there’s a good chance something isn’t quite right. And it’s usually easier to fix now than it is later.

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LINKS

Fuel Tax Credits (FTC)

Temporary Fuel Relief (2026)

20% Rego Rebate for Eligible Victorians