After the presentation to the Senate of our dossier in terms of fuel poverty, "Energy and chronically ill", made with Acquirente Unico, the Authority for Electricity and Gas has shown not only to be able to act very quickly on important issues, but also to carefully consider the "civic" information produced by the associations.

The new bonus for seriously ill patients launched by the sector helps families at risk of poverty from energy consumption due to serious illness, because it is not flat but is linked to actual consumption and machinery used.

This energy bill so high, more than €1150, in fact, has to be added to several additional private costs that many disabled persons with chronic disease are forced to support from caregivers to not-reimbursed medicines, to principals and non-guaranteed aids by the National Health Service and more, for the total of over 16 thousand euro per year.
We expect now that social bonus would be extended to those non-life-saving equipment but equally necessary for the quality and dignity of life of thousands of people currently excluded from any social bonus.
For Cittadinanzattiva-Active Citizenship Network, the news of the adoption of new bonuses for seriously ill patients is proof of the importance of continuing to provide civic information and represent the point of view of all citizens at risk of poverty.

By Antonio Gaudioso, Secretary General to Cittadinanzattiva

December 2012