2023-08-03 17:50:00
The CWAPE, the Walloon Commission for Energy, notes that the number of Walloons, who have requested a payment plan to pay their energy bill, has increased by 25% in 2022. This figure might be even higher this year.
Her regularization bill for the gas, Stephanie still looks at her with fear. 1600 euros to pay at once, it was impossible for this hospital employee and her companion. The couple first resorted to a payment plan last year.
“When we both work full time, and we have no other choice, it’s a lot. We were a little helpless. We said to ourselves, ‘Do we have to go through services like the CPAS and aids, etc…. At one point, we had to ask the parents for money to help us”says Stephanie.
Spread the payment to avoid having to pay everything at once, last year, 110,000 Walloon households had to use it for electricity and 65,000 for gas (i.e. 25% more requests compared to 2021). An increase considered moderate thanks to financial aid. The situation might be worse in 2023.
“In 2022, we were able to limit the difficulties by various means. On the other hand, in 2023, a series of aids will no longer exist. We think that there will be a significant impact on consumers”explains Anne-Elisabeth Sprimont, communication manager at the Walloon Energy Commission (CWAPE).
In Belgium last year, payment plans totaled 670 million euros (twice as much as in 2020). The amounts are larger, the repayments more spread over time.
“We have gone on average to 7 months of maturity, compared to 5 months of maturity in 2020. We have extended the possibility of spreading the payment plan. What we also see elsewhere is that 75% of payment plans are respected to the letter, which means that there is no deadline that is paid late”specifies Stéphane Bocqué, the spokesman of the Belgian federation of electricity and gas companies (Febeg).
Payment plans are usually offered free of charge by providers. Discussions are underway at the federal level to grant new financial aid to consumers.
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