Benefit from energy cheques

• payment of energy bills,
• payment of energy charges included in your rent, if you live in an APL-approved home or in an Ehpad, Ehpa, independent residence, long-term care facility or unit (ESLD, USLD),
• the purchase of fuel,
• certain energy renovation work.

The voucher is mailed to your home once a year in April, and is validuntil March 31 of the year following issue.

Who benefits from the energy voucher scheme?

The energy voucher is a means-tested benefit.Each year, the tax authorities draw up a list of beneficiaries based on thehousehold 's reference tax income (RFR)and household composition, determined in consumption units (UC).It is sent to the lowest 20% of French households.

The value of the consumption units making up the household is calculated as follows :

• the ^1st person in the household counts as 1 consumption unit,
• the ^2ndperson in the household counts as 0.5 consumption units,
• the^3rd and subsequent persons for 0.3 consumption units.

To check your eligibility for this scheme, visit the simulator on thechequeenergie.gouv.fr website.

Access the simulator

How do I receive my energy cheque?

If you are eligible, you don't need to do anything. You will automatically receive your energy cheque by post, to the last address you gave to the tax authorities.

They are sent out in April. Your energy voucher is valid until March 31 of the year following its issue. Its validity date is shown on the cheque.

Opening in 2024

The campaign for the automatic dispatch of energy vouchers for 2024 ended on April 25.

However, in order to combat fuel poverty, the government has decided to set up a portal to enable households that are eligible for the energy voucher under their situation inligible for an energy voucher in 2022 (income and household composition), but were not eligible in 2021, to apply for the energy voucher.

This applies, for example, to young people entering the workforce (first-time tax filers), households that have experienced a drop in income between 2021 and 2022, or households that have experienced a birth in 2022.

This dedicated online portal will open in July. Applications can be made until the end of the year at: https://chequeenergie.gouv.fr/

If this applies to you, you'll need to provide your tax number, proof of identity and an energy bill in your name.

After reviewing your application, you willreceive your energy cheque within a maximum of one month.

Please note that households who are not digitally literate will be able to make a request via user assistance and send their supporting documents by post, also enclosing their 2022 tax return(s), declared in 2023. In this case, processing time will be a maximum of two months.

Households will be able to enlist the help ofFrance service advisors in their area.

Energy cheques: how much?

In 2024, the energy voucher will cost between €48 and €277, depending on household income and composition.

As of January ^1, 2021, the face value (including VAT) of the energy voucher corresponds to the following scale:

How do I use my energy cheque?

Recipients of the energy cheque can use it to pay :

• bills from suppliers of electricity, natural gas and other heating fuels (wood, heating oil, etc.),
• heating costs included in the rental charges for subsidized housing (APL), as well as EHPAD, EHPA, autonomous residences, long-term care establishments and units (USLD)
• certain expenses related to energy-efficient home renovation, carried out p
• bya professional with "Reconnu garant de l'environnement " (RGE)certification.
• new for 2024: the energy voucher can be used to pay rental charges including energy costs in social housing.

All professionals in the sectors concerned are required to accept the energy voucher. This cheque can never be cashed at a bank.

How it works

• Beneficiaries receive their personal energy vouchers
• They use it to pay their energy suppliers directly
• They can ask for the cheque to be taken into account automatically for the following year, so that it can be deducted directly from their electricity or gas bill.
• Apply online or by post

The campaign for the automatic dispatch of energy vouchers for 2024 ended on April 25. Low-income households whose situation has changed in 2022 and who have not received an energy voucher will be able to apply on a dedicated portal open from July to December. Find out more in our article.

Contacts

Inquiries can also be made bye-mail or by telephone on the following number,Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm: 0 805 204 805