With the latest Budget Law, the Italian Government has provided, confirmed or extended a series of benefits in favor of families in more disadvantaged economic conditions. Among the many measures to support these families also the Bill bonus 2024a benefit provided for users in possession of specific requirements and recognized to amortize the expenses incurred for electricity, water and gas.
Even if from April 1st 2024 the amount of the bonus has been reduced, in fact there is no longer the extraordinary contribution established for 2023, a good portion of beneficiaries will still be able to benefit from a series of discounts according to the standard amounts quantified by the Authority of regulation for Energy, Networks and the Environment (Arera).
But what is it, who is entitled to it, how to request it and how much is the 2024 bill bonus? Let's see it together in the following paragraphs.
Bill bonus 2024: what is it
Introduced to amortize the costs of Italian families incurred for theelectric energyL'waterfall and the gasthe 2024 bill bonus essentially takes the form of two precise measures:
- strengthening of the electricity social bonus, active until 31 March 2024, and aimed at users in disadvantaged conditions;
- discounts on water and gas consumption aimed at less wealthy families, with an ISEE of up to 9,530 euros. For large families, in which there are at least four children, the ISEE limit for requesting the gas and water bonus is equal to 20 thousand euros. There is no deadline for this relief, i.e. it is a structural measure.
These are some forms of help for the most disadvantaged Italian families, which have become even more necessary following the stop of the protected market.
Who are the entitled people?
The social bonus for electricity is recognized to domestic users in economic difficulty and, precisely:
- to families with an ISEE of less than 15 thousand euros;
- to families with an ISEE of up to 20 thousand, in which there are at least four children;
- to recipients of the inclusion allowance;
- to users in precarious health conditions forced to use electro-medical machinery;
- to pensioners and those over 75.
From 1 January 2024 the gas and water bonus is available to users with a ISEE up to 9,530 euros. The ISEE ceiling is raised up to 20 thousand euros for families with at least four children. Pensioners and those over 75 are also among the beneficiaries.
How to request the Bill Bonus
To benefit from the 2024 bill bonus there is no need to submit any application in particular, the benefit is automatically recognized to users who meet the required requirements. In fact, from January 1, 2021, with the introduction of the new provisions of Legislative Decree no. 124/2019, it is no longer necessary to submit a specific request.
From that date, to obtain the bill bonus, however, there is an obligation to submit to the INPS the Single Self-Declaration (DSU) preparatory to the issuing of the ISEE, the Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator useful for demonstrating that one is included among the entitled. Users can independently fill in the DSU online for ISEE purposes or contact the patronages or CAFs.
In the case of use of electro-medical machinery, interested parties must instead submit a specific request to the municipality of residence.
Bill bonus 2024: amount
The amortization of costs for the electricity, water and gas bill bonus changes based on various elements:
- discounts on gas depend on the number of family members reported in the DSU, the category of use associated with the supply and the climate zone to which the supply points belong;
- the discounts for the electricity bonus depend on the number of family members reported in the DSU.
The amounts recognized to the beneficiaries of the electricity bonus are as follows:
- 111.93 euros for the entire first quarter of 2024 for families with one or two members;
- 148.33 euros for the entire first quarter of 2024 for families with up to four members;
- 163.80 euros for the entire first quarter of 2024 for families with more than four members.
The discounted amounts for those entitled to the water and electricity social bonus, variable according to the climatic areas and seasonality, updated to the first quarter of 2024, are as follows:
- for heating, domestic hot water and cooking use, a minimum discount of 10.92 euros and up to a maximum discount of 84.63 euros per quarter for families with up to four members;
- minimum discount of 15.47 euros and up to a maximum discount of 79.17 euros per quarter for families with more than four members.
Bonus bills 2024: conclusions
The increases in gas and electricity bills caused by the rise in the cost of raw materials have made an already serious situation even more difficult for families. For this reason, with the 2022 Budget Law, a Fund has been provided to contain the increase in bills.
Also from this perspective, the Italian government with the 2024 Budget Law has provided for the extension until 31 March 2024 of the social electricity bonus in favor of users with low incomes, pensioners, over 75s and in precarious health conditions.
Otherwise, the gas and water bill bonus has no expiry date because it is a structural measure, without the need for renewals or extensions of any kind.
These are forms of benefits provided to amortize the costs of utilities and for which, from January 2021, it is no longer necessary to submit a specific application. Today, to access the bill bonus, all you need to do is submit the Single Self-Declaration for ISEE purposes to INPS.
In concrete terms, the certification relating to the Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator is sufficient for the recognition and application of the 2024 bill bonus, beyond your own water, electricity and gas supplier.
