Will people soon be paying their energy bills based on their income? After the end of the tariff shield scheduled for 2023, the device which limits the prices of gas and that of electricity, the government is considering more targeted aid for modest French people. Among the tracks on the table, comes that of an adaptation of the invoices, according to the income of the assets.
“It will be necessary, from January 1, 2023, that on electricity and on gas, we will help more those who need it. There must also be increases for those who can afford them. This means that we will take into account the level of people’s income, ”said Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire on LCI on Sunday.
The tenant of Bercy returned to the considerable increase in the price of gas in recent months, an increase cushioned by the government. “The price of gas should have increased by 50%, the French have seen a 0% increase, after an increase in September – October 2021. I invite each of our compatriots to look at their gas bill, to add 50% to their head and say ‘that is the state that took charge of it‘. Same thing for electricity, its price should have increased by 35%, it only increased by 4%”, defended the minister.
“We are not going to expose the most modest French people”
“We are not going to expose the most modest French people to reckless increases in the price of energy”, had already reassured Saturday the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, on the sidelines of the Economic Meetings of Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du -Rhone). But given the cost of the tariff shield for the State, it would be necessary to move from “general mechanisms to more targeted mechanisms”, she had specified. Work would be in progress.
Asked about the advisability of setting up a tax on possible “surplus profits” that energy companies would realize thanks to the sharp rise in energy prices, Elisabeth Borne was more evasive. “Obviously in principle, if there are people who derive superprofits from the crisis, we would like that to be able to benefit everyone and lighten the burdens that the crisis can generate. Afterwards, it’s not completely simple, ”she immediately nuanced.