Theme image — © Sven Dillen
In one year, the Federal Ombudsman has received more than 1,700 complaints about energy premiums. That is the highest number of complaints about the same theme in such a short period of time. The Ombudsman calls on the government to learn lessons from the problems that occurred when awarding the premiums and to ensure that payments remain possible after February.
Wednesday, February 7, 2024 at 12:02 PM
To reduce the sharply increased energy bill, the federal government took a series of measures. This also included energy premiums. The allocation of these premiums went smoothly for most citizens, assures Ombudsman David Baele.
But many problems still emerged, not least for the most vulnerable in society. “Citizens sometimes had to make a lot of effort to get the premium or did not receive a premium even though they were entitled to it. For example, a well-intentioned measure caused a lot of frustration among citizens,” it said in a report to parliament. “The government must do better to maintain people’s trust.”
The complaints varied widely. They were, among other things, the result of organizational problems in the administration. It had to process thousands of requests and requests for information. Some people were unable to apply, others were able to apply but had not received a decision months later. And still others were refused for unclear, sometimes incorrect reasons.
The Ombudsman asks the government to give the administration sufficient time and resources to prepare in the future. More attention should also be paid to vulnerable groups. They needed the bounty the most, but were the ones who had the greatest difficulty getting it. Finally, the Ombudsman asks for clear information and rules.
Baele also advocates that the FPS Economy can still pay out premiums in 2024 to those who are entitled to them. These are people for whom the administration determines that they are entitled to the premium. They are in danger of no longer receiving the premium because the energy suppliers who have to award the basic packages must, in principle, submit their final report to the energy regulator CREG by the end of February. This means that they will no longer pay out premiums afterwards.