The end of protected market it’s close. The greater protection service ends on June 30th but there is good news for students over 75 and for the disabled. Those who are considered “vulnerable” will be able to enjoy protection with tariffs that are updated every quarter and a “discounted” marketing cost of around 20 euros. Here’s everything you need to know.
Who are the vulnerable?
The vulnerable are those who belong to at least one of the following categories:
- people who have reached the age of 75;
- subjects in economically disadvantaged conditions (such as bonus recipients);
- those who are in serious health conditions to the point of requiring the use of medical-therapeutic equipment powered by electricity (or where there are people in such conditions);
- affected by disabilities pursuant to article 3 of law 104/92;
- holders of a user in an emergency housing facility following calamitous events and those who have a user in a non-interconnected smaller island, i.e. Ustica, Tremiti, Levanzo, Favignana, Lipari, Lampedusa, Linosa, Marettimo, Ponza, Giglio , Pantelleria, Stromboli, Panarea, Vulcano, Salina, Alicudi, Filucudi, Capraia, Ventotene.
In case a customer has not been categorized as vulnerable despite meeting the required criteria, must promptly communicate the issue to their seller. How to do it? A specific form is available on the Arera website. In the event that there are changes regarding the vulnerability condition, the supply holder must contact their seller.
What happens on June 30th
As anticipated, on June 30th an important moment will occur in the energy sector, in fact the Greater Protection Service will cease, i.e. that type of supply in which prices and contractual conditions are determined by an independent authority, the Arera. According to the latest data, there are still 7.5 million Italian families who benefit from protection for electricity, while the protected gas regime ended in January 2024. The end of the protected market only concerns the so-called non-vulnerable, who are approximately 3.8 million people. Furthermore i vulnerable customers who do not choose to switch to the free market from 1 July 2024 will remain in the Greater Protection Service, with prices and conditions established by theHe is nurturing maintaining their current supplier. The protection regime for the vulnerable does not have an expiry date.
Savings of 113 euros
According to Arera data, non-vulnerable users who have moved from the protected market to the Gradual Protection Service save 113 euros per year on the bill compared to vulnerable users who have remained in the protected market. The Gradual Protection Service, which offers this discount, is reserved exclusively for non-vulnerable customers. Those who are already in the free market will remain in the free market. However, when they become vulnerable, they will be able to decide to return to the Greater Protection Service even after 1 July 2024. Therefore, those who turn 75 after 1 July 2024, even if they have switched to the free market in the meantime, will always be able to return to the Greater Protection Service for electricity and the Gas Vulnerability Protection Service. Non-vulnerable users who are in the protected market on 30 June and, therefore, from 1 July 2024 will switch to the Gradual Protection Service, if they turn 75 after 1 July 2024, will automatically switch from the new Gradual Protection Service to the old Major Protection Service.
Gas market
Il protected gas market for domestic customers ended in January 2024. Vulnerable customers who were in the protected market automatically moved to the Vulnerability Protection Service, where the price of the raw material is based on the average monthly price of gas on the Italian wholesale market (Psv), plus retail costs and other cost components similar to those of other consumers. The tariff for the Psv It is updated every month by Arera, which communicates it on its website on the second working day of the month following the reference month.
We remind you that vulnerable people with a gas contract in the free market can request to switch to I like protectionthese are offers that all electricity and gas sellers on the free market must make available to families and small businesses, with pre-established contractual conditions defined by the Authority, but at prices freely established by the seller.
