Manlleu opens grants of up to 600 euros against energy poverty

The Manlleu City Council will open the application period from September 28 to October 9, 2026, for social emergency grants intended to pay debts for domestic energy supplies. The Local Government Board approved the guidelines and the opening of the call during the session on September 8, 2026, and the Official Gazette of the Province of Barcelona (BOPB) publishes them this September 17 with the reference CVE 202610140289. The maximum amount per person, family, or cohabitation unit is 600 euros per year for the total of all supplies.

The guidelines are titled “Guidelines for social emergency grants for domestic energy supply debts (energy poverty) year 2026” and are processed under file 196668A, signed by Mayor Arnau Rovira Martínez on September 9, 2026. The objective is to cover basic expenses for electricity, gas, and water for homes where families in situations of economic and social need reside, with priority given to water debts as it is considered a vital necessity.

The text recalls that the agreement between the Department of Labor, Social Affairs and Families, the Department of Enterprise and Knowledge, and Endesa regarding energy poverty, approved by resolution TSF/945/2021 (DOGC no. 8381), ended on December 31, 2025. It also notes that the Constitutional Court has declared two articles of Law 24/2015 partially unconstitutional, which during its first five years prevented more than 200,000 supply cuts in Catalonia.

Deadlines, amount, and submission

• Application period: from September 28 to October 9, 2026.
• Maximum amount: 600 euros per year per person, family, or cohabitation unit, for the total of all supplies.
• In-person submission: offices of the Area of Social and Personal Promotion and Equality, by prior appointment.
• Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM; Tuesday and Thursday also from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
• It can also be processed through the procedures catalog of the municipal electronic office and by the means provided for in the administrative procedure regulations.

The budget allocation will be that established annually by the municipal expenditure budget, and the amount may be reduced proportionally according to credit availability. The competent body to resolve is the Local Government Board, upon the proposal of the Area of Social and Personal Promotion.

Requirements and evaluation criteria

• Be registered (empadronat) and reside in Manlleu, in a regular administrative situation and integrated into the Basic Social Services Area of Manlleu.
• Have a debt recognized and accredited by the supply companies.
• Have the last resort tariff or regulated market tariff contracted, or be in the process of doing so.
• Benefit from the social bonus (bo social) or be in the process of applying for it, and maintain responsible consumption according to the brackets set by the Osona Energy Agency and those of Agbar and Veolia.
• Have a valid NIF or NIE and a monthly available income below the IRSC thresholds according to the members of the family unit.

To calculate the economic threshold, a maximum amount of 500 euros for rent or mortgage will be deducted, and public dependency benefits will not be counted. The family unit is understood as the cohabitation unit of the dwelling where the applicant is registered, even if there are no family ties.

Exclusions and payment

Electricity, water, and gas debts are eligible for subsidies regardless of the date, with the exception of Endesa debts prior to December 31, 2025. Excluded are persons who have not processed the reduction and bonus measures of the companies, invoices with contracted power exceeding 10 kW, and those resulting from a leak or fraud. Family units with cohabitation or public order problems and those who have rejected energy audits may also be excluded.

Payment will be made, whenever possible, directly to the supply company; otherwise, it will be made by bank transfer to the beneficiary, who must justify the invoices within one month. The granted aids will be published in the National Subsidy Advertising System and on the municipal transparency portal, preserving the personal data of the beneficiaries.

The call comes after the end of the agreement with Endesa and amidst full uncertainty regarding protection against supply cuts, such that the aids become the municipal tool to prevent vulnerable families in Manlleu from losing electricity, gas, or water.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Barcelona (BOPB), September 17, 2026, Local Administration, pp. 1-9 (official reference: CVE 202610140289).