The year 2022 will start with increases in gas rates, fuel motorway tolls and stamps, with the price of electricity in the wholesale market also set to increase, along with the cost of cars and real estate, according to analysts.
In the case of electricity, the futures markets suggest that the wholesale price of electricity (‘pool’), which directly impacts the receipt of households covered by the regulated tariff (PVPC), will continue at the start of 2022 above 300 euro per megawatt hour (MWh).
However, the electricity tax cuts approved in the second half of this year will be extended, such as IVA from 21% to 10% and the special electricity tax from 5.1% to 0.5% -until 30 April- and the elimination of the 7% generation tax -until 31 March-.
With regard to natural gas, regulated rates will rise by at least 5.48% from 1 January for those consumers covered by the Last Resort Rate (TUR), following the measures adopted by the Government to limit the impact of the increase in the cost of raw materials, which would have meant increasing the annual bill by more than 83%.
Meanwhile, fuel will start 2022 away from the highs at the end of November, after five weeks down, but with inflation throughout 2021 of 25% in the case of petrol and 27% in the case of diesel, according to data from the EU Oil Bulletin.
The real estate market will see the Housing Law pending approval this year, which will return to the Council of Ministers in 2022. Its approval, after passing the parliamentary process, is expected in the second semester.
Real estate experts believe that the Executive’s measures will have the opposite effect to that desired and, instead of controlling housing prices, especially rents, they will skyrocket. In fact, new and used housing closed 2021 4.3% more expensive, according to Tinsa, while Idealista points out that used housing has risen 2.8% in the last 12 months.
Added to this is the rising cost of materials, which is causing increases in the price of new buildings, as well as delays in deliveries.
As of 1 January, the current rates for state-dependent motorways will be increased by 1.97% to adjust them to the CPI, as reported by the Ministry of Transport.
In addition, four motorways will be subject to an additional rate increase, including the AP-7 Alicante-Cartagena (2.99%); the AP-9 Ferrol-Portugal (2.99%); the AP-46 Alto de las Pedrizas-Málaga (2.99%) and the AP-6 Villalba-Adanero (2.84%).
The purchase of a car will be accompanied by an increase of 12 euro in the monthly bills for the driver from 1 January 2022 on the entry into force of the new registration tax.
The entry into force of the WLTP emissions regulations will affect half of the current supply of cars for sale, as well as the lack of ‘stock’ with a “live” demand that causes a rise in prices, in parallel to the falling discounts. It is estimated that 40% of new vehicles will see their price increase between 200 and 1,000 euro depending on the model and emissions.
Correos has raised the price of the stamps needed to send letters and postcards of up to twenty grams in weight to national destinations by 7% by 2022. The rate will now be 0.75 euro, which represents an increase of five cents, a price that will apply from Saturday 1 January.
