End of Capped Gas Prices: How Pensioners Will Be Affected From April 2026

From 1 April 2026, Romanians will need to adjust to a new reality: natural gas prices will no longer be capped by the state. This change will have a significant impact on household budgets — particularly for pensioners and older people on fixed incomes, who already spend a considerable portion of their pension on heating and hot water.

The Energy Minister has announced that the transition to free market prices will be phased in gradually over approximately one year, to avoid sudden spikes in consumers' bills. Authorities still have fresh in their minds the experience with electricity, where the abrupt removal of price caps in July 2025 led to dramatic cost increases for consumers.

The impact on seniors and low-income families

For many pensioner households living on modest pensions, this change represents a major challenge. Energy sector specialists estimate that prices could reach approximately 170 RON per MWh, compared with the current regulated rate of 120 RON per MWh. This difference will be reflected directly in heating bills, which for many older people already represent a significant financial burden.

The situation is all the more delicate given that many seniors live in older houses or flats with poor thermal insulation, meaning they consume more gas for heating. In winter, these households can end up spending as much as 30–40% of their pension on utility bills alone.

Protective measures for vulnerable groups

Aware of the challenges facing pensioners and low-income individuals, authorities are preparing compensatory measures. The most significant of these is the simplification of the 50 RON monthly assistance scheme for vulnerable consumers. Currently, more than 3.5 million Romanians are eligible for this support.

From April 2026, the system will become automatic: people on low incomes will no longer need to register on online platforms or collect cards from the post office to receive the discount. The assistance will be applied directly to their bill through automatic cross-referencing of government databases. This change is essential for many older people who struggle with technology or with navigating bureaucratic procedures.

The strategy for gradually exiting the price cap scheme

To minimise the impact on households, the Ministry of Energy is proposing a gradual reduction of the price cap at a rate of 8–10% per month — a process that could extend through to April 2027. This phased approach would allow families to adapt incrementally to the new costs and reorganise their budgets accordingly.

The Government is counting on the Romanian market remaining stable thanks to sufficient domestic production and resources from the Black Sea. The Neptun Deep project, expected to become operational in 2027, should help keep prices at reasonable levels over the long term. Even so, for many seniors, any increase in bills poses a real challenge at a time when pensions are not rising at the same pace as inflation and the cost of living.