Compensation for high energy costs of little avail to students

State support to compensate for the sharp surge in energy prices is by no means beneficial for all students. The government acknowledges that the money ‘does not exclusively’ reach those who need it most.

Residents of rooms with shared facilities in large complexes, usually students and elderly people, benefit little from the government’s measures to cushion the soaring energy prices. This is acknowledged by the government in response to parliamentary questions from the BoerBurgerBeweging (Farmer-Citizen Movement).

For instance, an additional 265 euros will be deducted from the energy tax for homes and housing complexes, yet those who do not have their own connection inside such a complex will gain little to nothing from this measure.

No tailor-made solutions

The previous government opted for generic measures to compensate for the rising energy prices. According to the responses to the parliamentary questions, tailor-made solutions were not an option in the short term, and even in the longer term implementation would have proved difficult due to the large disparity in household energy bills.

The government has therefore provided 150 million euros to municipalities to support households living in ‘energy poverty’. It is up to the municipalities themselves to decide how to distribute that money.

In addition, low-income households will receive a one-off compensation of 200 euros for their higher energy expenses. The government has allocated a total of 200 million euros for this purpose. Whether students are eligible for this compensation will be determined by the bill, which the government has yet to submit.