A total of €380 is promised to every energy customer in the Netherlands in November and December to compensate for soaring energy costs.
However, the system is a bit more complicated than just waiting for Sinterklaas to bring the money.
Merry Christmas?
Whereas Sinterklaas only comes once a year, this compensation is (mostly) coming twice, with one payment of €190 in November and another €190 payment in December.
While the money is paid by the government, it is the energy providers who will distribute the funds — and this is where it gets tricky, according to RTL Nieuws.
The most significant difference is that some providers pay in cash, while others will take the savings off your energy bill.
READ MORE: All you need to know about the Dutch energy subsidy and price cap
Further differences occur when clients are behind in paying their bills or when the provider is simply behind schedule.
Curious about when your cash will come in? Here’s the list!
Energy providers paying cash
Hoping to get some funds back in your bank account? You’re in luck if you’re with one of these energy providers.
HEM
HEM is opting for the Christmas instead of the Sinterklaas model: it will pay out the full amount of €380 in one payment to their customers in December.
HEM claims that the government was too late with the process so they couldn’t make the November deadline. There is no statement from HEM on whether the payout will be affected by unpaid bills.
Vattenfall
Vattenfall will pay their customers in cash, but they already announced that the payout will be deducted from any clients who are behind in their bills.
Eneco
Eneco will pay out in cash €190 in mid-November and again in mid-December. There is no word yet on how they will approach clients who are behind on their bills, but the company will send all its clients an email later this week with all details.
Companies that will give a discount instead
On the other hand, if you’re with one of the below companies, the compensation amount will be credited to your bill — same, but different, we guess.
Essent
Essent has announced that the compensation will be distributed as a discount on all types of bills: whether it’s your regular monthly payment or older bills that are still unpaid.
Greenchoice
Greenchoice has also said it will give a discount on monthly payments; whether that also extends to previous unpaid bills is yet to be known.
Are you expecting the cash to land in your bank account? Tell us in the comments!
