However high gas prices turned out to be, however low their income: Nijmegen students were out of luck. They did not qualify for hundreds of euros of energy allowance from the municipality. That is about to
to change. The city council is putting millions on the table to help students fight the cold.

Students who are over 21 years old can submit a request for the allowance, effective immediately. They are now eligible for the 800 euros that the city council previously made available to other city residents who got caught flat-footed by the rising energy prices. They can also most likely make a request for another 1000 euros of allowance later this year.

Dutch people can receive up to 1300 euros in energy allowance this year, as previously determined by the government. For students however, this national regulation does not apply. Minister Carola Schouten (Poverty Policy) found their living situation to be ‘too diverse’. Many students do not yet have their own energy bill, because they still live at home or pay an all-in price in their student house. Conclusion: no energy allowance.

Empty-handed

Unfair, is what Nijmegen law student Mark Mulder (30) thought. He fought the exclusion with success. The judge ruled that the municipality cannot simply make a distinction between students and non-students. Mulder, who recently passed away unexpectedly, did receive the allowance, while other students in his city were left empty-handed. The municipality of Nijmegen said they wanted to wait for a national policy.

‘That ruling did not arrive. That is why we have made the decision ourselves’, says the responsible councilor John Brom (City Party). ‘By helping students now, we are complying with the judge’s ruling. We will not appeal that.’

Not all students should count themselves rich. The energy allowance is not granted per person, but per address. This means that per student house, only one resident can apply for the allowance. The municipality cannot verify whether that person shares the money received with housemates. ‘If it is not shared, that one student will have a very nice weekend’, says Brom.

Ease the pain

The city council assumes that students at almost 3600 addresses will apply for the energy allowance this year. Students are eligible for 1300 euros, just like all other Nijmegen residents with an income of up to 130 percent of the social minimum. A hefty portion of that amount (800 euros) has already been transferred to many residents. This month, payment of the remaining 500 euros will start.

In addition, the city wants to pay out a part of the energy allowance for 2023 by the end of this year. That concerns an amount of 500 euros. ‘It is important to help people through the winter. We want to ease the pain of the risen energy prices for as many people as possible.’

This article by Daan Rieken and Mitchel Suijkerbuijk was previously published in De Gelderlander.
Translated by Jan Scholten