The plan targets the social bond for electricity discounts and the thermal bond that helps cover gas, water, and heating costs. The aim is to ensure households that truly need assistance continue to receive it while tightening eligibility for those who do not depend on it as a necessity.
The Ministry of Ecological Transition now sets higher income thresholds for households to qualify. Large families with three or more children, previously categorized as direct beneficiaries regardless of income, will also be eligible for social bonds under the new framework.
The executive announced this shift following a controversy in Madrid after regional officials learned that some politicians from Madrid had used social bonds for electricity and thermal energy at the expense of large families.
Help for social bonuses fans out into political tensions
Regardless of the dispute, the government sought to reassure extended families. Teresa Ribera, Vice President and Minister of Ecological Transition, explained that because large family units can include many cohabitants with higher incomes, they may still qualify as vulnerable or severely vulnerable only if their circumstances meet specific criteria. The new approach acknowledges that a large family may have a higher disposable income than a single threshold would suggest.
Ribera emphasized that the income margins required for large families would be higher than the current categories. A large family will need substantially more disposable income than the annual range historically used for cohabitating households.
Flexible support for extended families renting homes
The government plans to adopt a more flexible system that allows higher rents per child within extended families to access help. The existing added income limits for each additional child come from a multiplier of the public IPREM indicator, which this year stands at 8,400 euros in 14 payments. For large families, households with higher incomes will still receive social and thermal bonuses, with the multiplier adjusted upward to simplify continued access.
The government weighs changes to the thermal social bonus to curb misuse
Current rules classify two adults with one dependent as a vulnerable household eligible for the electric social bonus based on an annual family income below 19,320 euros, while a household with two adults and two dependents has a limit of 23,520 euros, according to official figures. The electric social bonding discounts electricity bills between 25 and 40 percent depending on vulnerability, though crisis measures briefly boosted discounts to 65 and 80 percent. Extended families receive a flat 25 percent discount regardless of income. The electric bonus also grants access to the thermal social bonus, providing a yearly payment ranging from 40 to 375 euros, depending on climate zone and vulnerability.
In light of the energy crisis and economic uncertainty caused by ongoing conflicts, a temporary exceptional social bonus was introduced for middle-class homes, allowing a 40 percent electricity discount for families with two adults and two children and an annual income ceiling up to 27,700 euros. Large families will be evaluated by income and household size to determine eligibility, with an upward adjustment per additional child living under the same roof. The assessment recognizes that households with three to four children, blended families, and larger households often incur higher power usage than smaller ones.
A prolonged transition period for extended families
The government plans to open a public consultation on the revised regulation soon. Extended families that have previously gained assistance solely by proving their status will need to submit a new application to receive the electricity social bonus and the corresponding thermal bonus, potentially adjusting contributions from electricity providers and, in some cases, from autonomous communities to obtain the thermal benefit.
The Ministry of Ecological Transition also promises a long transition window so families can meet all requirements. Documentation for applying for assistance will be accepted gradually, helping those who rely on the social bonus to avoid losing support during the transition. Officials note that families currently receiving benefits must provide data on family income and will require documentary proof, a process that will take time. The aim is to ensure that those in genuine need retain benefits while making the system fairer for extended families who face greater administrative hurdles.
Overall, the policy seeks to balance immediate relief with tighter controls, protecting vulnerable households while preventing misuse. The government stresses that the focus is on helping families truly in need, and it acknowledges the importance of time and accessible documentation to complete the required steps without leaving eligible households unsupported during the transition.