News item | 15-02-2024 | 10:12
In recent weeks, many people who are eligible for support have managed to find the Temporary Energy Emergency Fund. To date, more than 85,000 people have applied.
To help more households, energy suppliers Essent, Vattenfall, Eneco, Budget Energie, Greenchoice and Innova Energie have made an additional 8 million euros available. The central government will double this amount: 16 million, which has already been reserved for this purpose in the budget. This additional €24 million can help approximately 38,000 additional households pay their energy bills.
This increases the total available budget from 60 to 84 million euros. Based on the current flow of applications, the Emergency Fund expects that this amount will be sufficient to keep the Emergency Fund open until mid-March. However, this remains dependent on the number of applications. If the Emergency Fund closes earlier, the closing date will be announced on the website prior to the closure, so that households know until when they can submit an application.
“I am very grateful to these energy suppliers for once again making a contribution to the Emergency Fund, so that the Emergency Fund can process more applications in the coming period and thus help more households in energy poverty”, writes Minister Carola Schouten for Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions in the letter to the House. She also writes that she would like to take advantage of the energy suppliers’ offer to help think about a sustainable and sustainable plan for support for low and lower middle incomes, which also takes into account sustainability.
Temporary Energy Emergency Fund
The Temporary Energy Emergency Fund has been open since January 22, 2024 and is intended for households with a low or low middle income and a high energy bill. A household can request a contribution for a maximum of the following six months. The payment is made via the energy supplier. The energy supplier then settles this contribution with the energy bill. Households can apply for support from the Emergency Fund via: noodfondsenergie.nl.
Who is the Energy Emergency Fund for?
The following households can receive support from the Emergency Fund:
- The household has a gross income of a maximum of 200% of the social minimum. In concrete terms, this amounts to 3,200 euros (single) and 4,480 euros (cohabiting). The amounts include 8% holiday pay and exclude surcharges.
- Households have an energy contract for gas, electricity and/or district heating with an energy supplier.
- The energy bill is (depending on income) higher than 8 to 10% of the joint gross income: For people up to 130% of the social minimum higher than 8% of the joint gross income, or for people up to 200% social minimum higher than 10%
- The Emergency Fund pays the remainder of the monthly energy bill above 8 to 10% of the joint gross income of a household.
Results so far:
- In the period January 22, 2024 to February 11, 2024, 85,586 applications were received by the Emergency Fund.
- Of these, 63,914 applications are being processed and 21,672 applications have been rejected based on the income test. That is approximately 25%. Of the applications that have been processed so far, approximately 20% have been rejected based on the energy quote.
- The average compensation amount per household per month is 105 euros.