Temporary emergency energy fund expected to close on Monday

The temporary emergency energy fund is expected to close on Monday. Households can apply to the fund for support to reduce their energy bills. A spokesperson said that 175,000 applications have been received by the fund so far.

The closure will partly depend on the number of applications the fund receives. "If it becomes more difficult, we may have to close the fund earlier," the spokesperson said. How long the fund remains open for applications also depends on the availability of funds.

Low-income households with high energy bills have been able to apply for the fund again since the end of January. More people were eligible to apply this year because the rules were relaxed.

A total of 84 million euros was available from the fund. Last year, a total of 83,000 applications were submitted. In the end, 50,000 households received support amounting to 43.7 million euros.

However, the closure only applies to new applications, as stated on the emergency fund's website. "Ongoing applications or applications for reassessment will continue to be processed even after the closure."