Social Bonus
Protection for consumers with less economic means
Subsidised Electricity Rate for
vulnerable consumers
The Subsidised Electricity Rate is a Government regulated mechanism that seeks to protect vulnerable consumers who have limited economic means.
The current conditions for qualifying for the Subsidised Electricity Rate are set out in Royal Decree 897/2017 , dated 8 October 2017
This regulation establishes three categories of vulnerable customers, with different discounts on the price of the Voluntary Price for the Small Consumer (PVPC, in the Spanish acronym).
Subsidised Rate Renewal
The subsidised electricity rate is valid for 2 years, except for large families, for whom it ends when the status for being considered a large family expires. The valid date is shown on all bills.
There is no requirement to apply for a renewal. Just before the subsidised rate period ends, we will automatically check that you still fulfil the requirements, and if you do, the subsidised rate will be applied for a further 2 years.
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Requirements and who can apply -
Documentation - How to apply?
- Heating Rates Subsidy
- Social Bonus for those affected by COVID
Minimum requirements
With the new Social Bonus, there are three categories of vulnerable customers: Vulnerable Consumer, Severely Vulnerable Consumer, and Consumer at Risk of Social Exclusion.
Vulnerable Consumer (25% discount)(*)
(*) Royal Decree-Law 6/2022, in its 5th Additional Provision, establishes, exceptionally, an increase in the discount, applicable from 10/28/21 to 12/31/22. In the case of the Vulnerable consumer, the discount will be 60%.
a) If you belong to a cohabitation unit, the total annual income of your cohabitation unit is equal to or less than 1.5 times the Public Indicator of Multiple Effect Income (IPREM) for 14 payments.
When the cohabitation unit is made up of more than one person, the income multiplier with respect to the IPREM index of 14 payments increases by 0.3 for each additional adult member of the cohabitation unit and 0.5 for each minor child in the cohabitation unit.
A cohabitation unit is defined as all persons residing in the same home and who are united by marriage or as a domestic partnership under the terms of article 221.2 of the revised text of the General Social Security Act, or who are related to the second degree of relationship, affinity, adoption, and other persons with whom they live by virtue of guardianship for the purpose of adoption or permanent family foster care. Under no circumstances may the same person belong to two or more cohabitation units.
A cohabitation unit is defined as all persons residing in the same home and who are united by marriage or as a domestic partnership under the terms of article 221.2 of the revised text of the General Social Security Act, or who are related to the second degree of relationship, affinity, adoption, and other persons with whom they live by virtue of guardianship for the purpose of adoption or permanent family foster care. Under no circumstances may the same person belong to two or more cohabitation units.If you meet special circumstances (handicap with a disability equal to or greater than 33%, victim of terrorism or victim of gender-based violence, dependent degree II or III, or single-parent families) the above limits are increased by 1 point.
b)Being in possession of a large family
c) The consumer and, in the case of forming part of a cohabitation unit, all the members that have income, are pensioners of the Social Security System due to retirement or permanent disability, receiving the minimum amount in force at any moment for those types of pension, and do not receive other income whose aggregate annual amount exceeds 500 euros.
d) That the consumer or another member of the cohabitation unit is a beneficiary of the minimum wage under Law 19/2021, of 20 December, which establishes the minimum wage.
Vulnerable Consumer
They must be signed up for the Voluntary Price for the Small Consumer (VPSC) and the supply for which they are requesting it must correspond to their main residence.
They must also meet the following requirements:
- Their income or the overall annual income of the family unit to which they pertain must be:
- ≤ 1.5 (*) IPREM for 14 salary payments per year, if there is no minor living in the family unit: ¤11.863
- ≤ 2 (*) IPREM for 14 salary payments per year, when there is 1 minor living in the family unit: ¤15.817
- ≤ 2.5 (*) IPREM for 14 salary payments per year, when there are 2 minors living in the family unit: ¤19.772
If special circumstances are present (handicap with degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%, victim of terrorism, or victim of gender-based violence, dependency grade II or III, or single-parent families) the aforementioned limits increase by 0.5 points.
Severely Vulnerable Consumer
They must meet the requirements for being considered a vulnerable consumer, as well as:
- Receive an annual income ≤ 50% of the established thresholds for being considered vulnerable consumers including, where applicable, the anticipated increase for cases in which "special circumstances" are present.
- If it is a large family (more than three children), the family unit must receive an annual income ≤ 2 (*) IPREM for 14 salary payments per year: ¤15.817.
- If it is a Pensioner who receives the minimum pension, the family unit must receive an annual income ≤ 1 (*) IPREM for 14 salary payments per year: ¤7.909.
Consumer at Risk of Social Exclusion
They must meet the requirements for being considered a Severely Vulnerable Consumer. In addition, they must also be cared for by the Social Services of any Public Administration (regional or local) that finances at least 50% of the amount of their VPSC bill before the Social Bonus discount is applied. The corresponding Social Services must certify the payment borne within 5 months as from the date the bill is issued.
(*) IPREM - Indicador Público de Renta de Efectos Múltiples (Multiple-Purpose Public Income Index) = ¤7,519.59/year (Additional Provision 107 of Act 3/2017, dated 27 June, of the 2017 General State Budget)
| Documentation | Vulnerable Consumer/Severely Vulnerable Consumer |
|---|---|
| 1. Social Bonus form signed by all members of the family unit over 14 years old. |  |
| 2. Photocopies of Spanish National or Spanish Foreigner ID ("DNI" or "NIE") of the holder and of each of the members of the family unit, including those under 14 if they have one. | |
| 3. Photocopy of the Spanish Family Record Book ("Libro de Famila") or individual page from the Civil Registry for the holder and each of the members of the family unit, or any other document issued by the official authorities to reliably confirm the marital status of the applicant (e.g. Certificate of existence and status ("certificado de fe de vida y estado")). | |
| 4. Current Local Residence Registration Certificate ("empadronamiento") for the holder and all members of the family unit. | |
| 5. Photocopy of Large Family Certificate ("TÍtulo de familia numerosa"). | ONLY REQUIRED IN THE CASE OF LARGE FAMILIES |
| 6. Certificate from relevant Social Services, or that designated by the Autonomous Regional Government to confirm Special Circumstances. This link includes an example of the certificate. | ONLY REQUIRED IF SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES ARE MET (EXCEPT SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES) |
| 7. Documentation accrediting Minimum Vital Income: As long as the Ministry's telematic application that verifies compliance with the requirements to be a beneficiary of the social bond is not adapted to carry out the automatic verification of the beneficiaries of the minimum vital income, the holders of the supply points that requesting the social bonus under this circumstance must present the documentation that proves that the consumer, or any member of the cohabitation unit, is a beneficiary of the minimum vital income | ONLY NECESSARY IN CASE OF BENEFICIARIES OF THE MINIMUM VITAL INCOME (as long as the Ministry's telematic application is not adapted) |
A cohabitation unit is defined as all persons residing in the same home and who are united by marriage or as a domestic partnership under the terms of article 221.2 of the revised text of the General Social Security Act, or who are related to the second degree of relationship, affinity, adoption, and other persons with whom they live by virtue of guardianship for the purpose of adoption or permanent family foster care. Under no circumstances may the same person belong to two or more cohabitation units.
Remember that relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity are:
-First degree: children, spouse, parents, in-laws, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law.
-Second degree: grandparents, siblings, grandchildren and brothers-in-law
How do I apply for the Social Bonus?
- Fill in the Social Bonus application form at this link. We'll guide you through it step by step.
If you prefer, you can also get the form from these sources:- Customer Service Telephone Number (900 200 708)
- Customer Service Points
- Return the signed form with the necessary documentation at this link.
If you prefer, you can also return the signed form and documentation by these methods:- Customer Service Points
- Postal Address:
CURENERGÍA Comercializador de Último Recurso, S.A.U.
Apartado de Correos 61.017
28080 Madrid
With the entry into force of Royal Decree-law 15/2018 [PDF], of 5 October, a programme for direct payments designed to alleviate energy poverty among vulnerable consumers with regard to heating and hot water was created, called the Bono Social Térmico [Heating Rates Subsidy].
This payment is compatible with other grants, allowances, income or resources for the same purpose from other institutions. It will also be compatible with the Bono Social de Electricidad [Electricity Rates Subsidy].
The Bono Social Térmico will be funded from the General State Budget and will be dependent on the existence of annual budget availability.
Each year, any consumers receiving the bono social de electricidad at 31 December of the previous year will receive the Bono Social Térmico.
In 2019, these consumers will be informed by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition of their status as potential beneficiaries of the Bono Social Térmico.
The first payments will be made directly by the Ministry in the first half of 2019. The amount received by each beneficiary will depend on the climate zone they live in and their degree of vulnerability, as shown in the following table:
For more information, see the Ministry Information on the Bono Térmico or call 060 and state "Bono Térmico" as the reason for your query.
Benefits and who can apply for it:
Royal Decree-Law 8/2021, of 4 May, by which urgent measures are adopted in the health, social and jurisdictional order, to be applied after the end of the validity of the state of alarm declared by Royal Decree 926/2020, of 25 October, declaring the state of alarm to contain the spread of infections caused by SARS-CoV-2, establishes the right to receive the Subsidised Electricity Rate for a new group (the "Subsidised Rate for persons affected by COVID") and defines the features of this new type of rate. Consumers that fulfill the requirements will receive the discount in the electricity bill corresponding to the Vulnerable Consumer category (applicable to the entire power term and the part of the energy term below the limit established by law).
The Subsidised Rate for persons affected by COVID is available if the income of the holder of the electricity supply contract, or any member of their family unit has been substantially reduced due to any of the following circumstances:
- Unemployment
- Furlough
- Entrepreneurs with a shorter working day on account of having to provide care, or other similar circumstances.
You must be covered by the Voluntary Price for Small Consumers (PVPC) and the supply for which you are requesting must be your main residence. When the supply contract for the main residence of a professional or self-employed person is in the name of the legal entity, the subsidised rate must be applied for the natural person, which will mean changing the contract holder.
To make use of the "Subsidised Rate for persons affected by COVID", the total income of the family unit in the month prior to submitting the application must be below the following thresholds:
- €1,013.29, if there are no minors in the family unit.
- €1,351.05, if there is one minor in the family unit.
- €1,688.81, if there are two minors in the family unit.
These thresholds will be increased by €329.53 in each case, provided that one of the special circumstances established in the Subsidised Electricity Rate (recognised disability equal to or greater than 33%, victim of gender-based violence, victim of terrorism, level II or III dependency, single-parent families).
Documentation to submit
The documentation to submit to apply for the "Subsidised Rate for persons affected by COVID" is as follows:
- Specific application form (including a responsible declaration as required by law) signed by the applicant.
- Copy of the applicant's ID document (DNI or NIE) and of each family member over the age of 14 years.
- Current Local Residence Registration Certificate ("empadronamiento") for the holder and all members of the family unit.
- Copy of the Family Book (Libro de Familia): This only applies for consumers who are part of a family unit.
- Specific documentation required from this new group:
- Unemployed persons: certificate issued by the organization managing unemployment benefits.
- Cessation of activity of self-employed persons: certificate issued by the State Agency for Tax Administration (or the competent body in the Autonomous Community), based on the declaration of cessation of activity declared by the interested party.
Application process
The procedure for applying the "Subsidised Rate for persons affected by COVID" is the same as that required for other groups receiving the subsidised rate. See here for information.
Te rm of "Subsidised Rate for persons affected by COVID"
The "Subsidised Rate for persons affected by COVID" will be applied until 31 December 2022. However, if you meet the requirements to receive the Subsidised Electricity Rate by any of the other groups, you can submit the appropriate application at any time.
Undue Subsidised Rate for persons affected by COVID application
According to article 6 of Royal Decree-Law 8/2021 of 4 May, consumers who receive the "Subsidised Rate for persons affected by COVID" without meeting the established requirements will be liable for any loss or damage incurred, as well as for all expenses generated by the application of these exceptional measures.
The competent authority may request that the applicant provide information proving compliance with the requirements, including income requirements, corresponding to the entire period during which they have benefited from the subsidised rate.
