Background information

Given the increasing energy prices, the federal government decided to implement several premiums to alleviate pressure on different types of households. At the time of writing, three different premiums were implemented that provide a one-off fixed sum.

The premiums were formalised via the Act containing measures in light of high energy prices in 2021.

Content of measure

The three different premiums are in fact separate from each other. They are not mutually exclusive so in theory a household could benefit from all three.

The federal heating bonus of €100 is granted once for each family with a residential electricity contract and only for the place of residence.

Through this measure, the federal government wants to financially support as many citizens as possible for the increased heating costs of their homes, regardless of the heating source they use (fuel oil, natural gas, heat pump on electricity, etc.).

The one-off lump sum of €80 also relates to the supply of electricity. It is granted to residential protected customers who on 30 September 2021 benefited from the social tariff for the supply of electricity. Only households under a certain income threshold are able to benefit from the tariff.

For households using heating oil, an allowance of €225 was granted once for any entitled household that received a delivery from a heating oil company between 15 November 2021 and 31 December 2022. The premium is provided as an intervention in the payment for the delivery of heating oil or propane intended for the heating of the main residence.

Use of measure

The general electricity premium is applicable to all households that make use of a residential electricity contract. In practice this includes almost all households in Belgium.

The premium for people that are eligible for social protection is open to approximately 1 million households across the entire country.

According to recent estimations, approximately 1/5 households in the country heats using heating oil or propane. They are eligible for the heating oil related premium.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Unknown	Unknown
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

No public statements released.

Views and reactions

No public statements released.

Sources

• 01 March 2022: Verwarmingspremie van 100 euro (economie.fgov.be)
• 01 March 2022: Eenmalig forfait van 80 euro voor personen die recht hebben op het sociaal tarief voor elektriciteit (economie.fgov.be)
• 01 March 2022: Toekenning van een toelage van 225 euro voor gezinnen die met huisbrandolie of propaan in bulk verwarmen (economie.fgov.be)