Energy allowance: also for students

Tilburg students with independent living space can apply for the increased energy allowance of 1300 euros from 15 September. Tilburg deviates from the guidelines of the government, whereby students are not entitled to the supplement.

Due to the increased gas prices, everyone has to deal with increasingly higher energy bills. The cabinet decided to increase the energy allowance from € 800 to € 1300. According to the guidelines of the government, students are not entitled to an energy allowance. Tilburg deviates from this, because students with independent accommodation have the same energy costs as non-students. These Tilburg students can apply for the energy allowance of € 1300 from 15 September. More about applying for the energy allowance.

Who receives the energy allowance automatically?

All households that received the energy surcharge of €800 before September 15 will automatically receive the additional €500 surcharge on their account on October 6. They do not have to do anything for this themselves. Anyone who receives the energy surcharge from 15 September will receive the total amount of € 1,300. “We realize that the energy surcharge is not sufficient for many households. We are also seeing more and more middle-income households who can no longer afford their energy bills. We hope that the cabinet will come up with a plan soon, because our residents should not be left out in the cold this winter," said alderman Esmah Lahlah (alderman for livelihood security).

Energy allowance for students

Students with independent living space can apply for the energy allowance of €1300 from 15 September. An independent living space in Tilburg has:

• A private address.
• Your own kitchen, toilet and bathroom, which is not shared with other households.
• A private front door. This door can be locked.
• In addition, they have a low income and they pay the housing costs and energy bill from their own bank account.

Tilburg is not waiting for a national solution

The municipality of Tilburg no longer waits for a national solution and opens the application for students. Esmah Lahlah: “There are several signals from the city and from the council that we can't wait any longer. Students who live independently have the same energy costs as non-students. Especially now that the training is starting again, they will run into financial problems.” Due to a court ruling in August, the national guidelines for the one-off energy surcharge may soon change. Student unions, the VNG and student cities, including Tilburg, are urging the government to do this.

Applications can be made until the end of December 2022

Tilburg has extended the application period for the energy allowance until December 31, 2022. In Tilburg, about 95 percent of households with a low income have already received the energy allowance. This concerns about 14,750 households. “By extending the application period by three months, we hope to reach even more households. Students also have more than three months to apply for the energy allowance”, Esmah Lahlah.

Need more help?

“We want to prevent Tilburg households from getting into debt and therefore offer tailor-made solutions in emergencies. For example, residents who are not entitled to the energy allowance, but who are in serious financial trouble, can apply for compensation via the Tilburg Support Fund (TOF). This fund offers tailor-made solutions for households that are in trouble due to the higher energy bill," says Esmah Lahlah.