Teresa Ribera, the Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, has revealed further details about the upcoming modification of the criteria for access to the electric social bonus. The aim of the modification is to prevent large families with high incomes from obtaining public aid. During an interview with Cadena Ser, Ribera explained that the maximum limit of family income to collect the bonus in these cases will be 26,000 euros.
The modification comes in response to cases such as that of the Vice President of the Community of Madrid, Enrique Ossorio, who receives the thermal social bonus, a public aid for heating and hot water, which is accessed by having the electric social bonus. The electric social bonus is a discount on the electricity bill for consumers classified as vulnerable.
To avoid such cases, the Government is addressing a reform that Ribera has described as “relatively simple.” One of the assumptions in the current legislation of the social bonus is the units of coexistence based on the number of people living in a household and the IPREM, a reference index in Spain for the allocation of aid and subsidies based on income. Ribera explained that large families need to be incorporated into this category, and from the third child, a slightly larger multiplying factor will benefit large families.
Ribera noted that a maximum limit on family income needs to be introduced. She added that this change will be made “as soon as possible,” and the technical services of the Ministry are working on it. The reference limit will be the limit that exists for these coexistence units. In the case of adding four or five people living in a home, it is around 25,000-26,000 euros per year.
In the same interview, Ribera explained that there is no income criterion for large families to access the category of vulnerable consumer, but there is for others in which the discount applied to the electricity bill with the social bonus is greater. These are considered severely vulnerable or at risk of social exclusion.
Q: What is the aim of modifying the criteria for access to the electric social bonus?
A: The aim is to prevent large families with high incomes from obtaining public aid.
Q: What is the maximum limit of family income to collect the bonus in these cases?
A: The maximum limit is 26,000 euros.
Q: What is the reference limit for coexistence units?
A: In the case of adding four or five people living in a home, it is around 25,000-26,000 euros per year.
Q: Is there an income criterion for large families to access the category of vulnerable consumer?
A: There is no income criterion for large families to access the category of vulnerable consumer. However, there is for others in which the discount applied to the electricity bill with the social bonus is greater, such that they are considered severely vulnerable or at risk of social exclusion.
Q: Why is the modification taking place now?
A: The modification is taking place now because of the evidence that there are people who are taking advantage of social policies, including the case of the Vice President of the Community of Madrid, Enrique Ossorio, who receives the thermal social bonus, despite having assets of more than one million euros.
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