A majority in the Danish Parliament consisting of the government, the Socialist Party, the Danish Social Democratic Party, the Green Party, the Alternative and the Christian Democrats has on Wednesday reached a new agreement on a heating check, which this time is both higher and will go to more households, according to the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities. The check is particularly targeted at households that use natural gas or have district heating based on a high proportion of gas.
The heating check will be increased from the original DKK 3,750 to DKK 6,000. In addition, the target group will be expanded to include households with an annual income of less than DKK 650,000 after labour market contributions. Previously, the amount limit was 550,000 DKK.
The expectation is that around 419,000 Danish households will benefit from the check, but the exact figure will only be known later.
Another 100 million for the municipalities
The parties to the agreement are allocating an additional 100 million DKK for the municipalities' increased expenses for, for example, personal allowances for pensioners, cash benefits recipients and other financially disadvantaged people who are affected by price increases. This means that citizens with very low incomes can get help before the heating check is paid. The pool is now 200 million DKK and also covers next winter until April 2023.
- We are helping the municipalities to support, among other things, pensioners who cannot pay their heating bills. The sustainable solution is a farewell to black gas, but in the short term, help is needed for those who are in a pinch, says Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities Dan Jørgensen (S).
The heat check will be paid automatically in August and September, when data has been collected and the payment system is ready.
Criticism from the Liberal and Conservative parties
The new agreement on a heat check is too little, it comes too late, and there is no green goal behind it, is the criticism from both the Liberal and Conservative parties, after the political majority at Christiansborg has reached the agreement.
- More money is being poured into an already lousy agreement that helps too few Danes. There is also no green aim in the agreement when supporting households that are heated with gas or district heating based on gas, says the Liberal Party's climate spokesperson, Marie Bjerre.
The Conservatives are also dissatisfied with the agreement and would have preferred to see a tax reduction.
- There will continue to be many families who are still faced with sky-high bills and no compensation, says energy and supply spokesperson Katarina Ammitzbøll in a written comment.
The Blue Bloc in the Folketing instead wants general reductions in energy taxes for all Danes. But there has been no desire from the government and the supporting parties for general tax relief, and therefore the blue parties are not included in the new agreement.
According to the industry organization Dansk Energi, now called Green Power Denmark, the cost of gas heating for an average household has increased from approximately 5,500 kroner in the first quarter of 2021 to 10,000 kroner in the first quarter of 2022.
Ritzau / cwa
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