Citizen Account: Is an electricity meter mandatory for everyone? Details of the terms and conditions

The Citizen Account Program issued an important clarification regarding the questions circulating about the obligation to include the electricity meter number within the beneficiaries' data, specifically with regard to linking it to the rental unit as a basic condition for completing the eligibility procedures and obtaining support.

Clarification of the electricity meter requirement for independent individuals

In an official response to inquiries from beneficiaries via the "X" platform, the program confirmed that the requirement to enter the electricity meter number applies to a specific category of applicants. It clarified that if the applicant is an independent individual and selects a "valid lease agreement" as the attachment type on the "Ejar" platform to prove their independence, they are obligated to accurately fill in the required fields, which include the "leas agreement number" and the "electricity meter number" associated with the rented residential unit.

This measure is intended to ensure data consistency and to confirm that the independent beneficiary is actually bearing the costs of housing and energy, thereby enhancing the efficiency of directing support to those who truly deserve it.

Background on the Citizen Account Program and its objectives

The Citizen Account Program was established in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in December 2017, as part of the economic transformations within the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. The program aims mainly to mitigate the direct and indirect effects resulting from various economic reforms, such as correcting energy and water prices and implementing value-added tax.

The program is a social safety net that ensures the protection of low- and middle-income Saudi families from any inflationary repercussions, as the support controls are reviewed periodically to ensure they keep pace with economic changes.

General eligibility requirements for the program

To ensure the continued disbursement of support, the program stressed the need to meet basic eligibility requirements, which include:

• Nationality: The main beneficiary must be a Saudi national, with the exception of holders of mobility cards, the spouse of a female citizen and her children, and the wife of a male citizen.
• Permanent residency: Residency is required within the borders of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the beneficiary must not be a prisoner or residing in one of the government shelters.
• Data consistency: The data disclosed on the electronic portal must match the data held by the relevant official authorities.

retroactive compensation mechanism

In a related context, the program addressed beneficiaries' rights to retroactive compensation in specific cases. Support is disbursed retroactively if beneficiaries' financial appeals are accepted and their eligibility is confirmed.

Regarding eligibility objections, the program clarified that accepting the objection means the beneficiary will return to the support lists in the next cycle, and the disbursement of compensation retroactively is studied for each case individually according to the program’s regulations and verification results, with a maximum of 5 months in case of delay in disbursement due to verification procedures.