Power and gas social bonus

From 2021 those who are entitled to the bonus for power and gas economic hardship have the recognition in the bill that will take place automatically, without the need to submit a specific application to the Municipality or to the body designated by it: it will be sufficient to present only the Substitute Declaration each year. Unica (DSU), for example through the Municipality, the CAF or the INPS website. However, the methods of accessing the bonus for physical hardship remain unchanged: interested customers must continue to apply for it to the municipalities of residence or authorized CAFs.

With reference to the first quarter of 2022 for both the physical hardship bonus and the economic hardship bonus, the Authority with resolution 635/21 introduced a supplementary bonus, which is added to the ordinary bonus (which remains unchanged for now with respect to the of 2021).

The supplementary bonus has also been confirmed for the second quarter of 2022 with ARERA resolution 141/2022.

The decree-law n. 21/2022, moreover, for the period 1 April - 31 December 2022, extended the right to the power and gas social bonuses to a greater number of families in difficulty, thanks to the raising of the ISEE threshold value to € 12,000.

Power and gas social bonus for economic hardship: who is entitled to

To be entitled to the bonus for economic hardship, it is necessary to belong to:

  • a household with an ISEE indicator not exceeding 12000 euros (access value for the period 1 April - 31 December 2022);
  • a family unit with at least 4 dependent children (large family) and ISEE indicator not exceeding 20,000 euros;
  • a family unit with "Reddito di Cittadinanza" or "Pensione di Cittadinanza".

The power social bonus is provided both to customers who have subscribed to a offered on the free energy market and to those served in greater protection. It will also be automatically recognized in the event of a change of supplier.
The same applies to the gas social bonus, to access which, however, you must be connected to the city gas network, because the benefit cannot be recognized if you use natural gas or LPG in the cylinder.

How to get the power and gas social bonus for economic hardship

From 1 January 2021, as required by the decree law 26 October 2019 n. 124, converted with amendments by law 19 December 2019, n. 157 who is entitled to the power and gas bonus for economic hardship will no longer have to submit a specific application to the Municipalities or CAF: it will be sufficient to submit every year only the Single Substitute Declaration (DSU), for example through the Municipality, the CAF or the INPS site, in order to obtain the ISEE certificate.

The Single Substitute Declaration presented to access the subsidized social benefits (school canteen, maternity allowance, baby bonus, etc.), will also allow automatic access to the social bonus for economic hardship, if the conditions are met.

In the presence of the income requirements, INPS will send the data of the family unit to Integrated Information System (SII *).

The SII plays a central role:

  • it acquires the information from INPS, identifies the supplies to be facilitated and communicates it to sellers and distributors of power and gas, indicating the period of validity of the facility.

* Integrated Information System (SII) managed by the Single Buyer company. The SII is a computer database that contains information useful for identifying power and gas supplies.

The mode of delivery of the bonus is operational according to timing provided for by ARERA resolution no.63/21 from the second half of 2021 with accruing on the bill. 

Each family unit is entitled, for the relevant year, to only one bonus per type (power, gas, water).

Power social bonus for physical hardship

The social bonus for physical hardship is recognized, in the event of serious health conditions, for the use of electro-medical equipment that involves a high power consumption. The subsidy is not linked to the ISEE, but the amount depends on the annual consumption of the life-saving machinery used. Potential beneficiaries must continue to apply for it to the Municipalities of residence or the entities designated by them, such as authorized CAF, as in the past.
 

With Resolution 257/21, the Authority updated and supplemented the table showing the amount of compensation for new recipients of the physical hardship bonus with effect from 1 August 2021.