ANP
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 12:00
As of today, people with a high energy bill and a low income can again contact the temporary Energy Emergency Fund. This fund then pays part of the energy bill for six months.
“Households are still confronted with high energy costs this year,” says a spokesperson for the fund. “In addition, the price ceiling will disappear in 2024. The one-off payment of 190 euros that all households received last year will also not be available this year.”
50,000 households
Consumers were able to rely on the emergency fund for the first time last year, when energy prices had risen enormously. The application period was then extended several times to give everyone the opportunity to use it.
More than 50,000 households received compensation, totaling more than 43 million euros. The counter closed in May last year.
The fund’s coffers are partly filled by the government and partly by large energy suppliers. For this year they have deposited 60 million euros into the fund’s account. Two-thirds of that amount comes from the government, the rest comes from several energy suppliers.
Low income, high energy bill
When applying, the fund looks at the level of income and energy bill. Singles are eligible if they earn a maximum of 3,200 euros gross. For cohabiting couples, this amount has been set at a joint 4,480 euros.
These people receive financial support if the energy bill amounts to more than 8 to 10 percent of the gross income. That percentage again depends on income and follows the definition of ‘energy poverty’.
If the application is approved, the fund will deposit the amount above 8 to 10 percent of the account for six months. They transfer that amount directly to the energy supplier. It does not matter which energy supplier someone has.
The conditions for the contribution have been relaxed compared to last year. Minister Schouten of Poverty Policy expects that more people will be helped by this: around 70,000 households. This does depend on the extent to which energy prices rise. If necessary, the government and energy suppliers may be able to release another 20 million euros.
Application procedure relaxed
Last year, applications to the fund were difficult because the application procedure was too complicated for many people. The procedure was subsequently adjusted, after which many people managed to receive the contribution. According to the emergency fund, further improvements have been made for this year.
“In recent weeks, we have involved experts by experience in the further development of the application to make it more accessible for people who are less digitally skilled, visually impaired or have low literacy,” says the spokesperson.
The emergency fund is open for applications until the end of March.
2024-01-22 11:00:01
#Energy #emergency #fund #open #people #incomes #high #bills
