Bonus on bills, a benefit for a few: because it should become automatic

Make it difficult to pay for them tickets light, gas or water. A problem unfortunately very common in Italy, despite the fact that our country is one of the most advanced in terms of energy infrastructure. According to the data contained in the "Report on the 2018 Sustainable Development Goals", developed by Istat on the basis of the "Sustainable Development Goals", the so-called energy poverty hit it 16.1% of Italian families, equal to more than 9 million people, if we consider an average of 2.3 people per household. A generalized situation, exacerbated by the continuous increase in the consumption of light and gas, which resulted, month after month, devastating consequences for the poorest families.

To counter this disturbing phenomenon, an energy bonus is active, allowing consumers with an income below a given threshold to get a discount on their electricity, gas and electricity bills. water. Too bad that obtaining the bonus provides for a process complex for the application, which must be submitted each year. A rock that discouraged most families that could have gotten it, with figures that speak clearly: only the 30% potentials recipients bonus presented on demand. But this situation could change very soon.

Hot bills, Italians in the cold: 9 million can not pay them

An amendment to the Finance Act presented by the Hon. Barbara Saltamartini of the League, chairman of the Commission for Productive Activities in the House, expects this bonus to become automatic: "The data from the House Production Activities Committee clearly indicate that it is necessary to review the methods of using the social electricity bonus for poor families". The objective is to facilitate the demand and to be able to help, with the available resources, all the families in situation of fuel poverty.

What does this amendment propose in detail? Here is the full text available on the site place of bedroom:

1. From 1 April 2019, compensation for the expenditure and supply of electricity and natural gas to economically disadvantaged domestic customers, referred to in Article 1 (75) and (76) of the law of 4 August 2017, n. 124, is automatically recognized to all those who have submitted the Single Replacement Declaration (DSU), referred to in Article 10 of the Prime Minister's Decree no. 159 of 2013, for any service or service of a social or social nature and the validity of the equivalent economic status indicator (ISEE), as certified by the National Institute of Social Security (INPS), is included within the limits established the decree referred to in article 1 above, paragraph 76, of the law of 4 August 2017, n. 124.
2. For the purposes referred to in paragraph 1, the INPS shall transfer the relevant information in its possession to the integrated information system managed by the Single Acquirer SpA pursuant to the Legislative Decree of 8 July 2010, n. . 105, converted by the law of August 13, 2010, n. 129, according to the criteria and conditions defined by decree of the Minister of Labor and Social Policies in conjunction with the Minister of Economic Development, after hearing the Authority in charge of the regulation of energy networks and the environment . The Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment defines, in agreement with the INPS and Acquirente Unico SpA the operating procedures for the transfer of information and the subsequent management by Acquirente Unico SpA in order to provide compensation.

Translated in simple terms, the first amendment provides for the automatic payment of the bonus to subjects who have submitted the single replacement declaration (Memorandum of Understanding) and have an income below the established thresholds, that is, no greater than 8 107.5 euros or no more 20,000 euro if with at least 4 children charge. The second point concerns theINPS which should transfer consumer data and information to the Arera (Energy, Networks and Environment Regulatory Authority), so that the recipients of the facilitation can be identified and disbursed.

The 2018 gas and light bonuses: how to ask them to benefit from a discount on your bills

The proposal put on the table by the Hon. Saltamartini has been a great success, especially among the badociations of the consumers. The first to speak in favor of this amendment was the Consumer Association, who through a official statement He expressed his appreciation to the idea: "In order to face the difficulties faced by a growing number of families to cope with energy costs, it is essential to intervene to review the gas and energy bonus system, as well as to get more information on how to access the water bonus ".

"We remind – says Federconsumatori – that the conditions to access them are the same as those provided for the bonus electricity and gas (indicator ISEE no greater than 8 107.5 euros or more than 20 000 euros if at least 4 children dependent) The same is true of the critical aspects of the provision mechanism planned today.

Federconsumatori also believes that the process is too complex: "As soon as one in three consumers can understand it, given the complexity of the process and the excessive number of stakeholders involved: we therefore reaffirm the need to re-examine the most the mechanism and provide, for all sectors, the automatic payment of the bonus directly in the invoice ".

Invoices, bad surprise coming

"A real nonsense – he says Emilio Viafora, President of Federconsumatori – which penalizes families by limiting, in fact, the possibility of accessing the bonuses to which they would be entitled. It would be enough to use existing databases to identify eligible citizens and automatically trigger bonuses.

In the same vein, the press release issued byAdiconsum, in which the national secretary Pierpaola Pietrantozzi announced the maximum amount that can be obtained by households with this measure and a possible breakdown between the different users: "In our estimation, with the automatic social premium can help the some 9 million Italian citizens-consumers who pay conditions of energy poverty up to 700 euro annual, distributed as follows: 250 for light, 350 for gas, 150 for water ".

Interviewed by aujourd & # 39; huiPresident Adiconsum Carlo De Masi He called on the government to act quickly and told us what the next steps would be to help families living in this particular uncomfortable situation: "We will certainly be putting political pressure, but given the alarmingISTAT (more than 9 million people in fuel poverty), it seems clear that much remains to be done. The automation connected to the Isee, with all the appropriate verifications, is a first step. As another possibility, we will create a background social which could be funded in three ways: stocks end-of-year bills, especially electricity bills; l & # 39; district bills and as a third way, something like the so-called 'suspended coffee', a bill suspended in which the consumer pays a little more to end up in a sort of energy bank.

"We have discussed other amendments – concludes De Masi – which should provide for the increase of the Isee threshold as well as the funds available for the bonus.For the moment, the only official proposal is the one concerning the. automation of the proceedings, presented from Saltamartini ". A first step in the help of Italian families, even if the question of the gods is still in play system fees, which will further increase the bills by January 2019.