The Government has approved the ban on cutting off essential electricity and gas supplies to the homes of vulnerable families. This measure, which is extended throughout 2026, is part of the new anti-crisis package to address the impact on energy prices derived from the conflict in the Middle East, and is included in this Royal Decree-Law 7/2026, of March 20, published in this Official State Gazette (BOE).
This provision is protected under the energy social shield and will be applied automatically to the beneficiaries of the social bonus and vulnerable consumers, without the need to carry out any additional procedure to access this protection.
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, announced this decision yesterday after the extraordinary Council of Ministers with the aim of avoiding situations of exclusion and guaranteeing access to basic services in a context of rising prices.
Specifically, the rule will be extended until December 31, 2026 to guarantee the supply of energy and water to households considered vulnerable, severely vulnerable or at risk of social exclusion.
Beneficiaries of the extension of the ban on electricity and gas cuts 2026
The new royal decree-law establishes that supply companies will not be able to interrupt the energy supply to consumers who meet the vulnerability requirements included in current regulations. This affects:
- Beneficiaries of the electric social bonus.
- Severe vulnerable consumers.
- Households at risk of social exclusion.
Protection will be automatically applied to these groups, as long as they are correctly recognized within the system. This ensures that no vulnerable household is left without access to energy for economic reasons during 2026.
Reinforcement of the electrical and thermal social bonus
In addition to the prohibition of cuts, the BOE includes other complementary measures to alleviate the energy bill. Among them, the extension throughout 2026 of the extraordinary discounts of the social electricity bonus, in force since the energy crisis that began with the war in Ukraine, stands out. Of course, these aids will be applied progressively and decreasingly, with the aim of gradually returning to the usual system.
The thermal social bonus is also reinforced automatically for beneficiaries of the electric social bonus, increasing its minimum amount per beneficiary to cover heating, hot water and cooking expenses. This aid is paid in a single annual payment through the autonomous communities.
The Government justifies these measures due to the direct impact that the international crisis is having on energy prices, which especially affects households with fewer resources. This new package is part of a broader plan that includes direct aid to economic sectors, temporary tax reductions in energy and measures to promote the energy transition, which will have to be validated in the Congress of Deputies next Thursday.