Moldovans who do not have officially registered jobs and declare no income risk being denied energy compensation. The reason is that when a person’s income cannot be verified by the State Tax Service, the system automatically assigns them a monthly income of 7,500 lei. This amount is taken into account even if applicants declare that they earn nothing or report a lower income.
Minister of Labour and Social Protection Natalia Plugaru explained that the rule applies to people who work informally but do not declare their earnings and, consequently, do not pay taxes.
The amount of 7,500 lei represents half the average salary in the economy and is treated as the person’s monthly income when calculating compensation eligibility. Last year, in similar cases, the system used the minimum wage, which stood at 6,300 lei.
“If you declare zero income, or report a modest income of 3,000 or 5,000 lei, the system automatically assigns you 7,500 lei. That amount represents 50% of the average salary in the economy,” the minister said during a programme on Moldova 1.
According to Natalia Plugaru, this estimated income can affect an applicant’s eligibility for compensation. She therefore urged citizens to declare their actual earnings, even if they are low.
“If you do not work legally, do not declare your income, or report a lower salary, we assign you half the average salary. As a result, you may not qualify. Our message is to declare your income, because those who report their earnings, even if they are low, have a much better chance of qualifying for compensation,” Plugaru explained.
Applications for energy compensation for the 2026–2027 cold season opened on November 2. By the morning of November 3, more than 100,000 applications had been registered on the compensatii.gov.md platform.
The assistance will range from 500 to 1,000 lei, depending on the household’s energy vulnerability level and main heating source.
For November, applications can be submitted until November 27. In the following months, the deadline will be the 25th of each month, including March 2027.
According to official estimates, at least 660,000 households are expected to receive compensation during this cold season.