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EU PolicyWatch

Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure ES-2020-14/612 – measures in Spain

Access to reduced supplies' prices for self-employed through the so-called social bonus

Derecho a percepción del bono social por parte de trabajadores autónomos que hayan cesado su actividad o hayan visto reducida su facturación como consecuencia del COVID-19

Country Spain , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 31 March 2020 – 20 July 2020
Context COVID-19
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Measures to prevent social hardship
– Keeping or obtaining a safe home
Author Carlos Molina (UAB)
Measure added 15 April 2020 (updated 01 December 2020)

Background information

Article 28 of Royal Decree-Law 11/2020, of March 31, which adopts urgent complementary measures in the social and economic field to deal with COVID-19, establishes the right to receive the social bonus by self-employed workers who have ceased their activity or have had their turnover reduced as a result of COVID-19.

The objective of this measure is to allow self-employees whose activities have ceased or their income fell substantially, to have access to utilities (water, electricity etc.) at a reduced cost.

Content of measure

Will be considered vulnerable consumers in their habitual residence, those consumers of utilities who, complying with the income requirement of section 2 of Royal Decree 463/2020, of March 14, prove that the owner of the supply point, or one of the members of its family unit, are self-employed or self-employed professionals, are entitled to the benefit for total cessation of professional activity or for having seen their turnover in the month prior to the request for the social bonus reduced by at least 75 percent in relation to with the average billing for the previous semester, in the terms established in Royal Decree-Law 8/2020, of March 17.

Use of measure

No data available.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Self-employed
Does not apply to businesses Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
Company / Companies
National funds

Social partners

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

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

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

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: Sectoral or branch level

Involvement

Peak-level social partners were not directly involved in the design, implementation or monitoring of this measure, though they were informed. Organisations representing self-employed (sector level) were informed.

Views and reactions

Social partners were supportive of this measure.

Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2020), Access to reduced supplies' prices for self-employed through the so-called social bonus, measure ES-2020-14/612 (measures in Spain), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/ES-2020-14_612.html

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Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.