What is energy poverty
According to the Italian Energy Poverty Observatory, energy poverty in Italy is the difficulty of acquiring a minimum basket of energy goods and services or, alternatively, access to energy services that implies a diversion of resources, in terms of expenditure or income, above a “normal value.”
In essence, a household or individual is in energy poverty if they are unable to meet their primary energy needs (e.g., heating, cooling, lighting of the home) due to a combination of low income, high energy expenditure and low energy efficiency in their home.
How to tell if you are in energy poverty
A family is in fuel poverty if:
Alternatively, consult the Single Point of Access (P.U.A.) to Social and Health Services in your municipality. The staff in charge will help you check whether you are eligible for energy bonuses, tax deductions, or subsidies for families in need.
What to do if you find yourself in energy poverty
Supports to reduce energy expenditure are available:
Social bonuses
Social bonuses for electricity, gas, and water, with a discount in the bill of varying amounts based on the number of components and, for the gas bonus only, also based on climate zone and type of use.
Electrical bonus for physical discomfort
The electricity bonus for physical hardship, which is a measure aimed at reducing the expense incurred for electricity supply by households with a member who is in physical hardship.
To find out how much social bonuses are worth and how to get them:
In addition, other economic support measures for families in need are available in 2025:
Purchasing Card
The Purchasing Card is a payment card worth €40 per month for the purchase of basic necessities, including bill payments, and is available to people who are 65 years of age or older or have children under the age of 3 who are in a particularly difficult economic situation.
To know how to get it:
"Support to reduce energy expenditure" page
Inclusion Allowance (ADI)
TheAssegno di Inclusione (ADI) is economic aid intended for households with low ISEE, which can also be used for household utilities.
To know how to get it:
"Support to reduce energy expenditure" page
These measures are in addition to the utility bill bonuses and can provide additional support for families in economic hardship, ensuring greater financial stability and the ability to better manage household expenses.
In cases of energy poverty, it is also possible to take advantage of housing energy efficiency supports. Indeed, energy efficiency interventions generate energy and economic savings, but it is still necessary to bear the costs of implementation.
Specifically, the Ecobonus is the tax deduction for the energy upgrading of buildings. In the case that a household in energy poverty is doing the intervention, it has the option to transfer the credit for the incapacitated (i.e., those who do not have enough gross tax to cover the amount of the deduction). Same opportunity applies to autonomous institutions for social housing.