The federal government wants to further relieve households in Germany. From next year, the gas price brake should take effect. But not everyone can benefit from it. In addition, it only applies when the heating season has already reached its peak. FOCUS online says how high the savings are.
Gas prices have risen sharply compared to last year. Millions of households have already received hefty price increases and there is no end in sight to the price spiral.
The federal government therefore wants to take countermeasures with a gas price brake. But there are many catches.
The annual consumption forecast is decisive for the gas price brake. This is on the down payment that households receive from the gas supplier and the landlord.
The gas price brake also only applies to 80 percent of this annual consumption forecast. With an estimated annual consumption of 5000 kilowatt hours, the gas price brake only applies to the 4000 kilowatt hours. In other words, the federal government wants households to step on the gas brakes at the same time.
If the affected gas households reduce their consumption, the monthly savings for households with old gas contracts will be at a rather minimal level. !function(){var t=window.addEventListener?”addEventListener”:”attachEvent”;(0,window[t])(“attachEvent”==t?”onmessage”:”message”,function(t){if (“string”==typeof t.data
Example of a single household with a previous year’s forecast of 5000 kilowatt hours. If the required consumption drops to 4000 kilowatt hours, the household pays 480 euros per year or 40 euros per month thanks to the gas price brake.
Without a gas price brake and through economical consumption, the household with an old gas contract and 4,000 kilowatt hours would have to pay 624 euros (52 euros per month). If it is a new contract, even 836 euros (just under 70 euros a month) would be due.
If the consumption remains unchanged at 5000 kilowatt hours, the monthly payment is around 53 euros (old contracts) and 57.42 euros (new contract).
As a guideline, an average price of 15.6 cents applies to the old contract. The Federal Statistical Office even sets this at 11.26 cents. An average price of 20.9 cents per kilowatt hour applies to new contracts (as of November 3).
Energy has never been as expensive as it is now. But instead of panicking, you should calmly check potential savings at home. As our guide shows, there are many of them.
Example of a two-person household
The savings in a two-person household are similarly high. If a couple needed around 10,000 kilowatt hours of gas in the previous year, consumption would have to drop to 8,000 kilowatt hours so that the household can take full advantage of the gas price brake and no longer have to spend money on gas.
With the gas price brake, the household pays 960 euros for 8000 kilowatt hours – or 80 euros a month. Without the gas price brake, two-person households with an old contract come to an estimated 1248 euros and with a new contract even to 1672 euros. Calculated per month, the example calculation for 8000 kilowatt hours looks like this:
If the consumption is at the previous year’s level of 10,000 kilowatt hours, the calculation changes.
In the case of old contracts, the gas price brake of 12 cents per kilowatt hour then applies for the first 8000 kilowatt hours. For the additional 2000 kilowatt hours, an estimated 20.9 cents are due for new contracts and around 15.6 cents per kilowatt hour for old contracts. Calculated on the month, this corresponds to a discount of 106 euros and 114.83 euros per month.
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The gas price brake should apply from February 2023 at the latest. In December, the state also pays the gas bill. Disadvantage for millions of households: In January 2023 there will be a gap, in the coldest month of the year consumers will be left in the lurch.
You need the annual consumption forecast from your energy provider. You will receive this with the annual statement either directly from the gas company or from the landlord.
Disadvantage for tenants: In extreme cases, the relief will not reach tenants until December 2023. Landlords generally have one year to prepare and submit the statement.
The federal government has at least stipulated that landlords are obliged to provide information about the estimated credit by the end of December at the latest. There should be a calculator for this.
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