Proposal extends utility bill subsidies for low-income families following loved one’s death

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Low-income families in Bahrain hit by sudden utility bill hikes after the death of a loved one may be given breathing space, following a proposal approved by the Southern Governorate Municipal Council.

Councillors agreed to extend government subsidies for electricity and water by three months after a subscriber’s death, offering temporary relief to grieving households struggling to transfer accounts amid inheritance delays.

Fourth District representative Mohammed Darraj, who put forward the plan, described how families are left in financial limbo when subsidies are automatically cut off following a subscriber’s death.

“The Electricity and Water Authority requires the deceased’s family to secure inheritance approvals from the Sharia court, causing delays and piling up unsubsidised bills,” Darraj explained.

He urged action to stop debts from snowballing.

Utility charges

In a related move, the council also backed writing off outstanding utility charges owed by deceased subscribers from low-income or single-household families, acknowledging the mounting costs they face during the lengthy inheritance process. The council’s legal committee had already reviewed the proposal in a meeting on 3 December 2024, attended by representatives from the Electricity and Water Authority.

They agreed that existing procedures left mourning families with steep bills as they waited for legal approvals to transfer the account into an heir’s name.

Legal matters

“Extending the subsidy would give heirs time to settle legal matters without being buried under unpaid bills,” the committee concluded, recommending that the relevant authorities explore how the measure could be put into practice.

The proposal has now been referred to the relevant authorities for further review and possible implementation.