What is the social bonus?
The social bonus for electricity is a discount on electricity bills for vulnerable consumers and consumers at risk of social exclusion. The discount is 25% or 40%, according to income level. Moreover, its beneficiaries have a longer period than other consumers to deal with unpaid bills: four months from the first notification of non-payment as opposed to the general two-month period.
Who can apply?
Vulnerable consumers, severe vulnerable consumers and severe vulnerable consumers at risk of exclusion. They must have a regulated electricity tariff with a power of 10 kilowatts or less contracted in their usual dwelling.
What does this aid mean in concrete terms?
For vulnerable consumers, a 25% discount on the bill.
For the severely vulnerable, a 40% discount.
Severely vulnerable consumers at risk of social exclusion who are being cared for by the social services of an administration – regional or local – who pay at least 50% of the bill will not have to pay the electricity bill. The rest of the bill (what is not paid by the social services) will be paid by the companies, which are obliged by law to assume the financing of the bono social. In the event that these people are temporarily unable to pay the bill, their electricity supply cannot be interrupted.
More information:
- Summary of the main characteristics and requirements to be a beneficiary of the new social bonus: http://www.minetad.gob.es/energia/bono-social/Paginas/bono-social.aspx
- Questions and explanatory video: https://tarifasgasluz.com/faq/bono-social-electrico
