Bills, the social bonus goes back to the past: from criteria to thresholds, here's how it changes

After the measures to strengthen the social bonus, the discount on utility bills for families in conditions of economic and physical hardship, there is a return to the old access threshold for this facilitation (under EUR 9,530 for families with a maximum of three dependent children and no more than EUR 20,000 for those with at least four children). In order to benefit, it is necessary to present the Dichiarazione Sostitutiva Unica (Dsu) and certify possession of the Isee ceiling set for the bonus. In the video interview released to the website of Il Sole 24 Ore, the director of Arera's Energy Division, Massimo Ricci, explains what has changed with the return to 'normality' and what are the advantages associated with the discount on the bill.

"The criteria are back to the historical ones," Ricci explains, "and there is an Isee threshold (the indicator of the equivalent economic situation) that identifies the overall quality of life, not just the salary, and which is now brought back to the previous thresholds: under EUR 9,530 for families with a maximum of three dependent children and no more than EUR 20,000 for those with at least four children. To access the facility, you must submit the Dsu (Dichiarazione sostitutiva unica) certifying the Isee and, unlike in the past, for some years now an automatism has been introduced whereby it is no longer necessary to apply for the energy bonus with a separate declaration.

If the conditions are met, then, Ricci continues, 'the data are communicated to the Integrated Information System, which manages the information flows, and the bonus is recognised in the bill to those who are entitled to it. And this applies to both electricity and gas. I would also add that, with the introduction of the automatic mechanism, the number of beneficiaries increased threefold: this step was, therefore, quite decisive in ensuring that those entitled to the bonus could actually benefit from it. Whereas before, due to administrative difficulties or lack of awareness, a large proportion of those entitled did not then have access to the bonus'.

Families in conditions of physical discomfort also have access to the social bonus. 'In this case,' clarifies the director of Arera's Energy Division, 'access is linked to the need to have electro-medical equipment. And, since the discount is linked to this condition, a specific request must be made to the municipality: on Arera's website (www.arera.it) there are instructions on how to submit the application, and for any needs you can contact the Consumer Desk', which can be reached at 800.166.654 and is active from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday, excluding holidays.

So far, then, the criteria for accessing the discount. As far as the number of beneficiaries is concerned, Ricci explains that in the electricity market 'there are about 4.5 million households that benefit from the social bonus and these numbers have been favoured, as I explained, by the introduction of automaticity'. In this phase, then, of rising energy prices, 'the bonus is particularly important because it provides support for families in difficulty'. The discount, Ricci recalls, 'is received directly in the bill and is equivalent to a cut of around 20-30%, which is established in advance of the year to which it refers and updated annually'.