Who will qualify for France’s new fuel aid for low-income drivers?
Up to 11 million households will be eligible for the scheme, which will also focus on ‘heavy drivers’ who need their vehicle for work
The financial aid for people who use their vehicle heavily for work will replace the 18-centime rebate that will gradually be phased out
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Up to 11 million households in which at least one person must use their vehicle to get to work in France could be eligible for the government’s new fuel aid, which will amount to €100-€300 per person.
Read more: Fuel discount: France to phase out and replace with aid for workers
As fuel costs remain high, the government has confirmed that this new fuel bonus (‘indemnité carburant’) will come into force from October 1. It will apply to “low-income households who must use their vehicle for work”.
How will eligibility be worked out?
The sum received will depend on the person’s revenu fiscal de référence taxable income. A single person who has a revenu fiscal de référence of up to €9,400 will get €200, for example, while those with up to €14,100 will be paid €100.
However, the baseline revenu fiscal de référence threshold will be higher for people with dependents. So, a couple with two children, for example, will be able to access the €200 payment if their combined taxable income is €28,200 or less, and €100 if their income is €42,300 or less.
The total payment can be increased by 50% for people who live more than 30km away from their place of work and cover more than 12,000km per year for their jobs.
In this way, people entitled to the €200 payment would receive an extra €100, and those eligible for the €100 payment would be paid an additional €50.
The government estimates that receiving a €200 fuel bonus will equate to a 25-cent-per-litre discount spread over a whole year for a person who uses their car to a moderate extent.
How can I sign up?
In order to apply for the money, people must sign up to the public service website la direction générale des finances publiques when the scheme comes into effect. The form is not yet live on the site.
Only those who are eligible will receive the funds.
Mr Le Maire said: “It will apply to employees, civil servants, the self-employed, and I will insist on this point, young people on work placements.”
Read more: France confirms extra aid for frequent drivers as fuel prices soar
Read more: France promises 'more targeted' aid to help with rising fuel costs
The government’s 18-cent-per-litre discount, which came into force on April 1, will stay in place until the end of September, but will gradually reduce from October 1.
In October it will go down to 12 centimes, and in November to six centimes, before finally ending in December, Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire has announced.
It comes after inflation hit 5.8% year-on-year in June, statistics bureau INSEE said.
The measure is part of the government’s purchasing power law, which also includes aid such as a food payment of €100 to the least-well-off households, a reevaluation of pension amounts due to inflation, and a continued cap on energy price rises of 4%.
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