At the end of November 2023, the Bulgarian Council of Ministers approved the Energy Poverty Ordinance. The document will answer the questions of who is a vulnerable customer for electricity supply and which of the households are energy poor, says the press office of the Council.
The Ordinance on the criteria, conditions and procedures for determining the status of households in energy poverty and the status of vulnerable customers for electricity supply was developed by an inter-ministerial working group including the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works and the Ministry of Energy. It defines vulnerable customers for electricity supply in line with the recent changes of the Energy Act.
The average monthly income of a household member shall be taken into account as the disposable income of the household member less his/her energy consumption as determined by the energy performance of the dwelling.
The disposable average monthly income is compared to the officially declared poverty line for the purpose of determining a household’s fuel poverty status.
To determine the status of a vulnerable customer for electricity supply, criteria have been introduced depending on age, state of health, disposable average monthly income reduced by energy costs, need for assistive devices for independent living and/or life-sustaining medical devices whose functioning depends on a source of electricity and income from monthly social benefits.
In determining the disposable income of eligible persons, both non-taxable and taxable income under the Personal Income Tax Act will be taken into account.
When calculating disposable income, an exception is made for scholarships paid to pupils and students.
