2025 Utility Bill Bonus: How to Get It and Who Can Apply

Il social bonus It is a government initiative introduced in the 2022 Budget Law and extended in subsequent ones Budget Laws including that for the 2024 and 2025These are interventions aimed at helping families and businesses in a period of international crisis and exceptionally expensive bills. But how does it work? 2025 utility bill bonus and what changes, what are the differences compared to 2024 and who can access it?

New developments in the budget law

THEincrease of utility costs, in particular electricity and gas, due to a progressive increase in the prices of raw materials and also in part due to international instability, is a further damage inflicted on citizens and companies that in recent years had certainly not experienced prosperous times.

Since 2022, the most vulnerable segments of the population have been able to access these benefits, which are intended to cushion the impact of utility bills on households and businesses. But there are differences compared to 2024, and once again, as with last year, they are more unfavorable.

With the arrival of 2025, the Budget Law 2025 confirmed the social bonus for electricity bills, gas e water, intended for all those families or businesses experiencing economic and/or physical disadvantage. However, it is not yet clear whether families with an ISEE between €9.530 and €15.000 will be eligible for the reduced bonus.

In fact, the social bonus had been increased in the final months of 2023 following the persistent energy crisis. This strengthening had allowed families experiencing economic and physical hardship to enjoy greater discounts until December 31, 2023.Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment (Arera) had adjusted the bonus amounts to achieve a 30% decrease in the costs of electricity and 15% in gas ones for the last quarter of 2023.

Furthermore, the June 2023 decree introduced a one-time contribution for gas bills during October, November, and December 2023, payable regardless of the declared ISEE. However, this measure was later eliminated and made effective only for those receiving the social bill bonus.

On January 3, 2024, Arera announced the end of the 5% VAT reduction on gas and its increase to a rate between 10% and 22%. The elimination of general system charges for methane gas also ended at the end of 2023.

Therefore, starting April 1, 2024, the extraordinary contribution for electricity consumption has been eliminated, given that the extension of the social bill bonus expired on March 31, 2024.

But for 2025 the situation has changed again, and is becoming more meager every year.

It is important to note that, for 2025, no additional extraordinary contributions are foreseen in addition to the ordinary social bonus. The benefits will be limited to standard contributions, remodeled on the basis of the new ISEE parameters.

As far as the 'VAT on gas, starting from January 1, 2025, therate was set at 10%General system charges remain active, with a 5% reduction compared to 2024.

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Requirements

In 2025, the "social bonus" system, intended to provide financial support through discounts on utility bills and other benefits, has seen significant changes in eligibility criteria compared to both 2024 and 2023. The changes aim to focus assistance on an increasingly limited segment of the population.

ISEE 2025 REQUIREMENTS:

In 2024, the ARERA social bonus was accessible to families with an ISEE of up to €9.530 for families with up to three dependent children and up to €20.000 for families with at least four children.

For 2025, the ISEE thresholds for accessing the social bonus remain unchanged:

• ISEE up to €9.530 for families with up to three dependent children.
• ISEE up to €20.000 for large families with at least four dependent children.

No changes are expected to the ISEE thresholds for 2025, as the three-year update is scheduled for 2026.

Special conditions for accessing bonuses:

• Extension to recipients of the Inclusion Allowance: Starting from 1 January 2025, with the introduction of theInclusion check which replaces the CBI, the beneficiaries of this new measure will be entitled to the social bonus for electricity and gas bills.
• Introduction of the "Energy Bonus for Temporary Hardship"A new bonus has been introduced for families who, despite not meeting the standard ISEE requirements, are facing a temporary reduction in income due to extraordinary events such as job loss o serious illnessesThis bonus, valid for a limited time, aims to offer immediate support in situations of temporary financial difficulty.

For further information, please consult the new extension for 2025 of the House of Representatives.

How to request them

For 2025, the methods for accessing the utility bill bonus remain unchanged from the previous year.

For citizens in financial difficulty:

The benefit is automatically recognized, provided that the application has been submitted to INPS Single Substitute Declaration (DSU) for calculating the ISEE. Once the requirements are met, the bonus will be applied directly to electricity, gas, and water bills.

A specific application must be submitted to the municipality where the supply holder resides, a CAF (Tax Assistance Centre), or other designated bodies.

The application must include:

• Medical certificate issued by the ASL: certifying the serious health condition and the need to use electromedical equipment for life support, specifying the type of device, the hours of daily use and the address where the equipment is installed.
• Identity documents and tax code: of the applicant and the patient, if they are different people.
• Completed Form B: available from the relevant authorities or on the ARERA website.
• Information on energy supply: such as the alphanumeric POD code and the contracted power, which can be found on the energy bill.

It's important to note that, for the 2025 bonus for physical hardship, submitting an ISEE is not required, and other health certificates, such as those for civil disability, are not accepted.

For further details and to download the necessary forms, it is advisable to consult the official website of theAREA or contact the relevant authorities.

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Benefits

The 2025 utility bill bonus, established by ARERA (Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks, and the Environment), offers variable financial support depending on the household composition and its ISEE (Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator). This aid is designed to ease the burden of energy costs for families experiencing financial hardship. Here are the various benefits in terms of financial relief.

Unfavorable changes in 2025

In 2025, the utility bill bonus will continue to support Italian families, but with some significant changes compared to the previous year. First, no extraordinary contributions are foreseen, as occurred in the first months of 2024, also due to a less severe energy crisis than in previous years. The annual amounts will continue to be adjusted based on the number of family members, but with a downward revision.

Furthermore, after the citizen's income has been archived, we move on to a weaker version of the latter: theinclusion check, which aims to help, although not in the best possible way, the families most in difficulty.

Differenze rispetto al 2024

During the first three months of 2024, the utility bill bonus included both an ordinary and extraordinary contribution, distributed daily as follows:

• 1-2 components: A total contribution of €77,44, equal to €1,23 per day.
• 3-4 components: A total contribution of €102,83, equal to €1,63 per day.
• More than 4 components: A total contribution of €113,75, equal to €1,80 per day.

April – December 2024

For the rest of the year, the bonus continues with the annual, monthly and daily amounts:

• 1-2 components: €142,74 per year, corresponding to €0,39 per day or €11,70 per month.
• 3-4 components: €183,00 per year, corresponding to €0,50 per day or €15,00 per month.
• More than 4 components: €201,30 per year, corresponding to €0,55 per day or €16,50 per month.

Comparison with the period October – December 2023

The bonus for the final quarter of 2023 was structured to guarantee support based on the ISEE level and the number of family members:

• ISEE up to €9.530:
  • 1-2 components: €120,45, with an adjustment of €20,24.
  • 3-4 components: €149,65, with an adjustment of €23,92.
  • More than 4 components: €167,90, with an adjustment of €24,84.
• ISEE over €9.530 (80% recognized):
  • 1-2 components: €96,36, with an adjustment of €16,19.
  • 3-4 components: €119,72, with an adjustment of €19,14.
  • More than 4 components: €134,32, with an adjustment of €19,87.

But the social bonus also covers areas beyond utilities. Let's look at it in more detail.

Shopping card

For the year 2025, the intervention that allows all citizens residing in Italy with aage over the age of 65 and parents with children up to 3 years old to be paid by those who fall within certain ISEE parameters to get a contribution of €80 every two months. The payment method remains the same as in 2024.

Spending bonus

Also known as the “Card dedicated to you”, the 2025 Spending Bonus initiative is an annual contribution paid to all those citizens who fall within the 15.000 euros of ISEEThe amount is the same as in 2024, renewed with the new 2025 Budget Law for which the government has allocated 500 million euros to refinance the measure. It is a PostePay card with a loaded amount of € 500 one-off spendable only and exclusively for thepurchase of essential goods.

The Municipalities of residence, once they have received the ISEE data from theINPS, will distribute the shopping bonus among families within the area. Priority will be given to the family with the lowest ISEE (Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator) and at least three members. Specifically, the following must be present:

• At least one born on or before December 31, 2009;
• At least one born on or before December 31, 2005.

After this first phase, the municipalities will proceed to issue the card to all other beneficiaries.

This year, however, compared to the previous year, the amount will no longer be added petrol bonus the value of 77,20 €.

It is estimated that if the amount remains unchanged, approximately one million families in Italy will be able to access the bonus.

Nursery school bonus

From 2024, the bonus for nursery school expenses or home support in the event of serious illnesses had been revised as follows:

• For families with an ISEE of up to 25.000 euros: €3.000 per year (approximately €270 per month).
• For families with an ISEE between 25.000 and 40.000 euros: €2.500 per year (approximately €227 per month).
• For families with an ISEE greater than 40.000 euros or without an ISEE: €1.500 per year (approximately €136 per month).

Additionally, for newborns or those adopted after January 1, 2024, in families with another child under ten, the amount reaches €3.600, offering additional assistance at a crucial time of family growth.

In 2025, however, the bonus has been simplified and made more accessible overall. But let's see how:

Bonus amounts:

• ISEE fine at 40.000 euros: The maximum bonus amount has been increased to €3.600 per year, without the need to have another child under the age of ten.
• ISEE higher than 40.000 euros or without submitting the ISEE: The amount remains at 1.500 euros per year.

How to request:

Interested parents can choose between two types of support:

• Bonus for nursery school expenses: For children up to three years old, it can be used to pay tuition at public or private facilities. The application must be submitted by the parent who is financially supporting the cost, indicating the requested monthly payments and attaching receipts by the end of the relevant month.
• Home Support Bonus: For children under three years old with serious illnesses that make it impossible to attend daycare. The application must be submitted by the cohabiting parent, along with a medical certificate confirming the child's inability to attend outside facilities for the entire year.

Application procedure:

Applications for both types of bonuses can be submitted through the INPS website:

• Access the portal Inps.it.
• Type “bonus nido” in the search engine.
• Select the “Nursery Bonus and Home Support – Application” option from the results.

Bonuses not renewed

In 2025, in particular starting from the 1 January, several bonuses will no longer be in effect. Here are the most important ones:

• Green bonus: 36% tax deduction for landscaping interventions on private open spaces.
• Eco-seismic bonus: combined incentive for energy requalification and seismic improvement interventions on buildings.
• Boiler bonus: tax deduction between 50% and 65% for replacing boilers with high-energy efficiency models.
• Charging station bonus: incentive for the installation of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.
• TV and decoder bonus: contribution towards the purchase of televisions and decoders compatible with the new transmission standards.
• Furniture and appliance bonuses: tax deduction for the purchase of furniture and appliances intended to furnish renovated properties.
• Pellet bonus: incentives for the purchase of pellet stoves and water purification systems.
• Fuel Bonus: contribution for private sector employees towards the purchase of fuel.

The auxiliary measures have been significantly reduced compared to the previous year, but already by the end of 2023 several bonuses had disappeared, including:

• Glasses bonus (up to 50 euros for ISEE up to 10 euros).
• 50% tax credit for drinking water systems.
• Reduced VAT eliminated on pellet, diapers e absorbent.

It is likely that the bonuses could be further reduced with the next budget laws.

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