Vorarlberg not upping heating subsidy
The provincial government of Vorarlberg has decided not to raise the heating subsidy sum for the upcoming winter.Peoples Party (ÖVP) councillor Greti Schmid announced today (Tues) that the government will support needy households with 250 Euros this winter, the same amount it provided last year.This means that local political decision-makers will not take inflation into account.Schmid explained that 12,261 households received the one-off payment in the past winter season, adding that the overall costs of the scheme were 3.1 million Euros.Singles whose net earnings are lower than 1,020 Euros and households with a monthly income of 1,501 Euros or less are eligible to apply for the heating subsidy in the western province.Meanwhile, research by the Lower Austrian energy consulting body has found that heating a 20-year-old family house with oil costs an average 1,820 Euros a year, while using chopped wood costs only 810 Euros.The study also showed thermal pump heating costs an annual 1,020 Euros, while pellet heating created annual costs of 1,210 Euros.