Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Sunday the latest stage of his plan to target voters' hip-pockets ahead of November's state election, saying the cash handouts were a “practical and common sense” response to cost-of-living pressures.

But one community sector energy specialist said energy policy needed to be broader to bring gas and electricity prices down, not one-off announcements "every four years because there's an election around the corner".

The $50 will be paid to householders via the website after July 1.

The Premier said a typical energy consumer was able to save $330 on their annual power bills by using the service, and a government spokesman told The Age that information supplied to the site will not be used for any purpose other than making the $50 payments.

The payment will be made to users whether they switch their energy deals or not.

Mr Andrews said power companies banked on the fact people were often too busy to shop around and get a better deal.

“With a $50 payment the Victorian government will make to everyone who visits Victorian Energy Compare, we will not only break that model but we will support Victorian households to shop around to get the best deal possible for them and their families.”

The 2018-19 State Budget, to be handed down next week, will also allocate $21.7 million to increase the 'Utility Relief Grant' cap from $500 to $650.

Welfare groups have been calling for several years for the cap on the grant, which is meant to help households and families suffering unexpected hardship pay their bills, to be lifted to keep pace with rising utility costs.

But Shadow Treasurer Michael O'Brien was not impressed with the package announced by the government on Sunday, saying the $50 payments were an election 'bribe'.

“I don’t think that Victorians are going to be fooled by Daniel Andrews’ $50 election year bribe,” Mr O’Brien said.

“Daniel Andrews has forced people’s power bills up by $300 a year and a $50 year election year bribe isn’t going to cut it.

“This is not a policy, this is simply an election-year stunt by the man who put your power bills up.”

Gavin Dufty, energy specialist with St Vincent de Paul, was also sceptical, saying the government should be offering a broader package.

“Giving people 50 bucks to go online and sign up is fine but there needs to be more,” Mr Dufty said.

“You don’t want to be just doing this every four years because there’s an election around the corner, this needs to be part of a broader package or else it’s a wasted opportunity.”

Victorian Council of Social Services chief executive Emma King welcome the government’s announcement on Sunday, saying she believed the big-spending policy was money well spent.

Ms King said the policy of payments for visiting the site would help “shine a light” on the energy retailers who had been “fleecing” consumers in the state for years.

“We’ve got at the moment an increasing number of people who are really struggling to pay their bills and who need help,” she said.

“We’re seeing a whole new range of people showing up for crisis assistance or who are really struggling to pay their bills.

“While it’s only $50, that $50 is going to make a big difference to someone who is really struggling to pay their bills and it gets them onto the website and it gets them to compare.

“So, they’ll log on to get the $50 and in doing that, it really encourages them to get the best deal and about 70 per cent of people who do log on find that they can save hundreds of dollars."

One commentator on The Age website called for cheaper gas and power.

"Don't want grants...just cheaper power and gas," they wrote.

The website is www.victorianenergysaver.vic.gov.au