Am I eligible for France’s chèque énergie 2022?
Payments aimed at helping households cope with their energy bills will begin to made at the end of March
Reader Question: Considering the recent rise in energy prices, I am wondering whether I will be eligible for France’s energy cheque this year, and when I will get it?
France will begin rolling out this year’s energy cheque (chèque énergie) to 5.8 million people at the end of this month, to help lower-income households manage their energy bills.
The payment is supposed to go towards electricity, gas, heating oil and even firewood expenses, as well as certain eco-friendly renovation projects. The amount varies depending on the household’s income and composition, and can range between €48-€277.
Generally, the cheques are distributed to households who spend more than 10% of their budget on paying their energy bills. A single person living alone will qualify if their revenu fiscal de référence (taxable income) is €10,800 per year or less.
One person counts as one household unit, a second person adds a further half unit, and any further people count as 0.3 units.
You can check whether you will be eligible for the cheque on this government simulator, which will ask for your numéro fiscal tax number.
If you qualify for the payment, you do not need to do anything as long as you have declared your income to the tax authorities when required and live in a property that is subject to taxe d’habitation, even if you are exempt from paying.
If you fulfil these criteria you will receive the cheque automatically in the post.
Energy cheques cannot be spent on road fuel, but can be redeemed online through the government website for helping with energy bills. It can also be sent directly to your suppliers.
You can also ask that your cheque amount be automatically deducted from your next electricity or gas bill by filling in this online form.
Energy cheque payments should be completed by the end of April.
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