The electricity, gas and water bonus, i.e. the discount on electricity, gas and water utility bills, is intended for families in financial difficulty, with physical difficulties and for large families. Here’s what it is and how much it amounts to.
The electricity, gas and water bonus is part of the so-called social bonus for economic hardship, confirmed for 2022 by the energy decree passed by the government.
What are the requirements to be able to take advantage of the bonus? ARERA – Regulatory Authority for Energy – already in 2021 had defined the criteria on the basis of which it should be assigned. The basic assumption is that one of the members of the Isee family is the holder of a supply of electricity, gas or water for domestic use, active or suspended due to arrears, or take advantage of a centralized supply, as in the case of condominiums.
Bonus light, gas and water: this is who it is and how much it amounts to
Let’s start immediately by saying that the electricity, gas and water bonuses will continue to be provided automatically also in 2022. According to the ARERA almost 2.4 billion euros will be needed to be able to cover the cost of social bonuses for energy and the environment, recognized to economically disadvantaged families.
However, there was an epochal turning point in this sense: while in the 2021 tax decree to access the social bonus it was necessary to apply for admission, from 1 January 2021 the discount on the electricity, gas and water bill is paid automatically. This will also continue at least until the end of 2022.
But how much is due to each individual to whom the water light gas bonus is paid? The value of the bonuses is determined and periodically updated by ARERA on the basis of the criteria established by the regulations. In general, at the beginning of the year, the Authority updates the values of the electricity and gas social bonuses to be recognized throughout the year. It must be said that in reality this is seen as a single bonus, but they are three different and each must be treated independently.
Electric bonus
The value of the electric bonus it is linked to the type of family registry. To date, the values are as follows:
- 128 Euros for a family with 1 or 2 members
- 151 Euros for a family of up to 4 members
- 177 Euros for a family with more than 4 members.
Gas bonus
As for the gas instead, the amounts provided for by the bonus are differentiated on the basis of the category of use, the climatic zone to which they belong and the number of family members. That is to date they are:
- For families up to 4 members: from 67 Euros for Sicily and Reggio Calabria, for hot water, sanitary, cooking and heating use up to 170 Euros for Veneto and Piedmont
- For families with more than 4 members: from 93 Euros for Sicily and Reggio Calabria, for domestic hot water, cooking and heating use up to 245 Euros for Veneto and Piedmont
Water bonus
The social water bonus guarantees the free supply of 18.25 cubic meters of water on an annual basis (equal to 50 liters / inhabitant / day) for each member of the user’s personal family. In this case, unlike the others, the water tariffs are not unique at the national level, but vary according to the geographic area in which the supply is located.
So, to know exactly how much the social bonus is, users must consult the website of their water manager, check which rates are applied for the water service and calculate the amount of the bonus to which they are entitled. Such as? Multiplying 18.25 cubic meters by the number of members of the registry family and by the sum of the following rates:
- subsidized tariff determined for the quantification of the variable portion of the aqueduct fee;
- sewerage tariff identified for the quantification of the variable portion of the sewerage fee;
- purification tariff identified by quantifying the variable portion of the purification fee.
