Social energy discount (bono social) for foreign residents and recent arrivals

Terms used

• Bono social — The bono social is a discount on the electricity bill for eligible low-income or vulnerable households.
• NIE — The NIE is the identification number Spain gives to foreigners.
• TIE — The TIE is the residence card issued to foreigners who live legally in Spain.
• Padrón — The padrón is the town hall register of people living in the municipality.

Key rules

• Nationality: Nationality alone does not decide eligibility; legal residence does.
• Contract holder: The electricity contract must be in your own name.
• Household: Your household must be registered at the supply address.
• No tax return: If you have no Spanish tax return, you give other income evidence such as pay slips or a work contract.

Does your status qualify?

Yes, if you live in Spain legally. Nationality alone does not decide it. What counts is that you have legal residence, you hold the electricity contract in your own name, and you meet the income and supply conditions for the bono social.

Legal residence is shown with a valid NIE or a residence card (TIE). If you are an EU citizen, your EU registration certificate does the same job. A valid passport can also serve as your identity document.

Your household must be registered

Your household must be registered at the address where the electricity is supplied. The authorities check who lives there through the padrón. If the supplier cannot check this automatically, you will be asked for a padrón certificate from your town hall. A certificate that lists everyone at the address is called a "certificado de empadronamiento colectivo". Practice differs between suppliers, so ask yours whether it needs one before you apply.

How to apply

You apply through your reference supplier. This is the company that supplies your electricity at the regulated price. File the application form and the consent form with it. The consent lets the supplier ask the administration to check your residence data. In most cases a copy of your NIE or TIE is enough. The supplier may ask for more, so ask what it wants before you file. The documents and checklist below list what to gather.

Income evidence if you just arrived

Income is normally checked through tax agency data from the last tax period. If you have only just arrived, you have no Spanish tax return, so there is nothing to check.

In that case, give alternative evidence of your income. Pay slips, a work contract, a certificate of benefits or a sworn statement are the usual options. The ministry for the ecological transition assesses the application through your reference supplier. The criteria can vary in practice, so ask your reference supplier or the ministry what it accepts now, before you rely on one document.

Before you file

• Check that your NIE or TIE is valid.
• Check that the contract is in your name.
• Check that you are on the padrón at the supply address.

Documents you need

• Identity document: a NIE certificate, a residence card (TIE) or a valid passport. A copy of your NIE or TIE is typically enough, because the supplier asks the administration to check your residence data.

• EU registration certificate (certificado de registro de ciudadano de la UE), if you are an EU citizen. You can use it as your identity document.

• The consent form and the application form, filed with your reference supplier.

• Padrón certificate (certificado de empadronamiento or colectivo) from your town hall, needed only when your household members cannot be checked automatically.

• Alternative income evidence if you have no Spanish tax return: pay slips, a work contract, a certificate of benefits or a sworn statement.

Checklist

• Check that your NIE or residence card (TIE) is valid and shows legal residence in Spain.

• Confirm that the electricity contract is in your own name.

• Check that your household is registered at the home address on the padrón.

• Gather pay slips, a work contract, a certificate of benefits or a sworn statement if you have no Spanish tax return.

• Ask your reference supplier which extra documents it wants before you file.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a padrón certificate for the bono social?

You may need a padrón certificate (certificado de empadronamiento), but only when the household members cannot be checked automatically. Your household must be registered at the home address, and the authorities check who lives there through the padrón. If the supplier asks for proof of who lives at the address, request a collective certificate from your town hall.

What if I have just arrived and have no Spanish tax return?

If you have just arrived, you give alternative income evidence, because there is no Spanish tax data to check.

Does my nationality affect whether I can get the bono social?

No, nationality alone does not decide it, but you need legal residence in Spain. A valid NIE or a residence card (TIE) shows this. You must also hold the electricity contract yourself.