Background information

In response to renewed pressure on household energy costs following the Middle East crisis and the related increase in energy prices, the Spanish government reinforced two existing energy poverty instruments: the electricity social bonus and the thermal social bonus. These instruments pre-date both Royal Decree-law 7/2026 and the 2022 energy crisis response measures: the electricity social bonus was originally introduced in 2009, while the thermal social bonus was created in 2018. Royal Decree-law 7/2026 maintains exceptional electricity social bonus discounts during 2026: 42.5% for vulnerable consumers and 57.5% for severely vulnerable consumers. It also increases the minimum thermal social bonus payment to €50 per beneficiary and provides an additional €90 million for the 2026 thermal social bonus. The measure aims to protect vulnerable households from higher electricity, heating, hot water and cooking costs

Content of measure

The measure reinforces two pre-existing energy poverty instruments: the electricity social bonus and the thermal social bonus. The electricity social bonus applies to domestic consumers classified as vulnerable or severely vulnerable under the Spanish regulatory framework. During 2026, Royal Decree-law 7/2026 maintains exceptional discounts of 42.5% for vulnerable consumers and 57.5% for severely vulnerable consumers on the electricity bill. The support is therefore provided as a percentage discount, meaning that the amount received by each household depends on its electricity consumption, contracted tariff and eligibility category. The thermal social bonus is a complementary direct aid granted to beneficiaries of the electricity social bonus. It is intended to help vulnerable households meet energy costs linked to heating, hot water and cooking, regardless of the energy source used. Royal Decree-law 7/2026 increases the minimum thermal social bonus payment to €50 per beneficiary and approves an additional €90 million budget allocation for the 2026 scheme. Unlike the electricity social bonus, which operates as a bill discount, the thermal social bonus is paid as a monetary transfer. The measure therefore combines a direct reduction in electricity bills with additional financial support for broader household energy needs.

Use of measure

Estimated uptake figures are available only for the existing schemes, not yet for the specific reinforcement introduced by Royal Decree-law 7/2026. According to the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, there were 1,649,625 potential beneficiaries of the thermal social bonus in 2025; the 2026 figure has not yet been published.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	People on social benefits People on low incomes

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Local / regional government	National funds

Social partners

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

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement as case not in social partner domain	No involvement as case not in social partner domain
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

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

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

No direct involvement of social partners in the design, implementation, monitoring or assessment of this specific measure has been identified. The reinforcement of the electricity and thermal social bonuses was adopted by the Spanish Government through Royal Decree-law 7/2026 as part of the wider crisis response package. Its implementation is mainly administrative and regulatory: reference electricity suppliers apply the electricity social bonus discounts to eligible consumers’ bills, while the thermal social bonus is managed through the competent public authorities, including the autonomous communities. Trade unions and employer organisations may comment on household protection and purchasing power, but they have no formal role in this measure.

Views and reactions

Trade union reactions were generally supportive, although they considered that the measure should form part of a broader and stronger protection package, including stronger price controls and further support for vulnerable households. No specific reaction from employer organisations on this household-focused measure has been identified; their involvement appears limited to the broader debate on the anti-crisis package.

Sources

• 20 March 2026: Royal Decree-law 7/2026 of 20 March, approving the Comprehensive Response Plan to the Crisis in the Middle East (www.boe.es)