Utility Bills Social Bonus: Complete Guide for Single Parents
The Utility Bills Social Bonus is an automatic discount for electricity, gas, and water, dedicated to families with an ISEE of up to €9,530. Find out how to get it without applying.
In brief: What is it and how do you get it?
The Utility Bills Social Bonus is an automatic discount applied to electricity, gas, and water bills to support families in economic hardship. For single parents, no specific application is required: the bonus is automatically granted to those who submit the Single Substitute Declaration DSU and obtain a valid ISEE certification within the established thresholds. The discount is credited directly as a deduction on monthly or bimonthly bills.
ISEE requirements and access thresholds for 2024
For the year 2024, the ISEE thresholds to access the social bonus have been updated. Families with:\n\n An ISEE not exceeding €9,530 for the general population.\n An ISEE not exceeding €20,000 for large families with at least 4 dependent children.\n\nIn the case of a single parent with children, it is crucial that the DSU is correct and reflects the actual composition of the household. If you are a separated or divorced parent, ensure you have entered the data correctly to benefit from the applicable deductions. To learn more about managing your financial situation post-separation, consult our guide on tax relief for separated parents/guide/agevolazioni-fiscali-genitori-separati.
How is the bill discount applied?
Since 2021, the system has been automated. Here are the necessary steps:\n\n1. Submit the DSU: Visit a CAF Tax Assistance Center or use the INPS website to obtain your updated ISEE.\n2. Data Transmission: INPS transmits the data of households falling within the thresholds to the Integrated Information System SII.\n3. Verification and Credit: Energy suppliers electricity, gas, and water receive the notification and automatically apply the discount to subsequent bills.\n\nThe discount is valid for 12 months starting from the month the DSU was submitted. Upon expiration, you must renew your ISEE to continue receiving the benefit. If you have any doubts about filling out the form, read our FAQ on ISEE for single parents/faq/come-fare-isee-genitori-single.
Bonus for physical hardship: extra protection
In addition to the bonus for economic hardship, there is the bonus for physical hardship, intended for cases where a family member even a child suffers from serious illnesses requiring the use of electromedical equipment for life support. \n\nUnlike the economic bonus, this one is not automatic and requires a specific application to be submitted to the municipality of residence or through a delegate, attaching ASL Local Health Authority certification. This bonus can be cumulated with the economic one based on ISEE. To discover other forms of support for children, visit our section on the single parent allowance/guide/assegno-unico-universale-genitori-single.