Bo Social Elèctric

Social Discount Rate for Electricity
Description: 

Managed by: In Catalonia, regulated market energy suppliers that offer the social discount rate for electricity. 

The social discount rate for electricity is a discount applied by regulated market energy suppliers on the electricity bill. It is regulated by the Spanish Government and aims to protect consumers with a low income threshold and/or other vulnerabilities.

The social discount rate for electricity must be applied for by the contract holder to one of the regulated market energy suppliers.

Requirements: 

– Registration in the municipal register: The person applying for the social discount rate for electricity must be the contract holder and must be registered in the dwelling that receives the supply, in any municipality in Spain.

- Basic requirements for applying for the social discount rate for electricity:

Requirement

Conditions
Type of contract Voluntary Price for Small Consumers (PVPC)

Contracted power

 Equal to or less than 10 kW

Consumer status

Must be classified as vulnerable or severely vulnerable at risk of social exclusion (see the following section).

 

– Income: 
Different levels of vulnerability are established based on the previous calendar year’s income: 

1. According to income

Degree of vulnerability

Income threshold*

Increase of the limit according to the number of members in the household
Vulnerable

€12.600 
(onbe person)

€+2.520  per adult €+4.200 per minor
Severely Vulnerable sever

€8.400 
(household)

 -

With special circumstances**

Previous thresholds
€+ 8.400 

 -

(*) IPREM 2025 (14 payments): €8,400/year 
(**) Special circumstances: persons with a disability equal to or greater than 33%, victims of gender-based violence or terrorism, degree of dependency II or III, single-parent families.

2. Other specific situations

Group Requirement

Income thresholds
Pensioners

All members receiving the minimum retirement or permanent disability pension

They cannot have other income exceeding €500
Large families No additional requirements -
Recipients of the Minimum Living Income (IMV) At least one member of the household receives the IMV -
Risk of social exclusion Social services aid covering 50% of the bill, and meeting the criteria for severe vulnerability.

€8.400 

 

– Amount:

These are the discounts applied to the electricity bill based on the level of vulnerability and other specific circumstances: 

Discounts according to degree of vulnerability

Period Vulnerable Severely vulnerable

1 January – 30 June 2025

 50% 65%

1 July – 31 December 2025

 42,5% 575%

 

Discounts in other specific situations 

Group Vulnerable

Severely vulnerable

Pensioners (minimum retirement or permanent disability pension)

42,5%-50%

57,5%-65%

Large families

 42,5%-50% 57,5%-65%
Recipients of the Minimum Living Income (IMV) 35% 50%
Risk of social exclusion (social services may cover 100% of the bill, supply will not be cut off) 42,5%-50%

57,5%-65%

 

The recipients of the social discount rate for electricity will also be beneficiaries of the social discount rate for energy without the need to carry out any formalities.

For more information: 

Perform simulation

Social discount rate for electricity website (Barcelona City Council Housing)

Social discount rate for electricity website (Government of Spain)

Residents of the city of Barcelona can also contact the Energy Advice Points, a service provided by Barcelona City Council that offers information, support and action needed to ensure citizens are able to exercise their energy rights and companies are unable to breach them by denying access to basic services.
Procedures:
The procedures for applying for the social discount rate for electricity must be carried out directly with the reference energy supplier. This can be done in different ways:
  • Electronically, using the online forms.
  • By email, attaching a copy of the application and the required documentation.
  • In person, by filling in the application form and presenting all the required documentation at the nearest office.
  • By post, by filling in the form on paper and sending it with the required documentation to the address of the energy supplier.
You can consult the regulated market energy suppliers in Catalonia that offer the social discount rate for electricity and their contact details by clicking here.
The processing of the social discount rate for electricity must be requested by the holder of the electricity supply contract and said contract must be with one of the regulated market suppliers.
If the applicant is not the contract holder or does not have the electricity supply contracted with any of the regulated market companies, these procedures can be requested simultaneously when applying for the discount. The change will be automatic and free of charge with the application for the social discount rate.
Documentation required to process the application:
  • Photocopy of the Spanish national identity document/identity number for foreign nationals of the holder of the supply contract and of all the members of the household over 14 years of age and the family record book if applicable.
  • Application form and an electricity supply bill.
  • Certificate of registration in the municipal register of the members of the household.
  • Large family and/or single-parent family certificates, if applicable.
  • Certificate of receipt of the Minimum Living income issued by the National Institute of Social Security (INSS), if applicable.
  • Certificate to accredit special conditions (disability, dependency, domestic violence).
Perform simulation