The VAT cut that the government has introduced to dampen the rise in energy costs has already been completely wiped out. Electricity and gas bills rose to an absolute record in April. This is apparent from monthly figures from the Flemish energy regulator Vreg.
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Anyone who concludes a contract for electricity in April will see the annual bill rise to an average of 1,708 euros per year, a new record. In March, the VAT reduction resulted in a significantly smaller invoice (1,468 euros), but due to the rising price of the electricity component, that decrease is already behind us.
Anyone who concludes a contract for natural gas in April will pay 3,659 euros on an annual basis, which is also an absolute record. This means that the gas bill is slightly higher than in January, the previous record month. The gas bill fell somewhat in February and March, but that trend has also ended.
This means that the VAT reductions implemented by the government for electricity and natural gas from 21 to 6 percent are no longer noticeable. For natural gas, the reduction has never been felt: even if the VAT reduction of April is settled, the invoice is at a record level. Without the VAT reduction, the invoice would of course have been even higher.
New quarter
‘A new quarter starts in April’, explains Leen Vandezande, spokeswoman for the Vreg. ‘A lot of variable contracts are adjusted every quarter, as well as for those who join new contracts. That is why we are now seeing the effect of wholesale prices in April.’
Energy prices skyrocketed due to the revival after the corona crisis and received an extra boost due to the war in Ukraine.
The federal government has already launched a series of tips on ikhebimpact.be to save energy. Lower the heating a degree, replace energy-hungry refrigerators or cook more in the microwave are some of those tips.
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