11 million people in France to get extra cash aid: are you eligible?
The prime de rentrée exceptionnelle will be paid to eligible people in September to help improve their spending power
The French government is preparing to distribute a prime de rentrée exceptionnelle payment to eligible households in September
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Nearly 11 million people in France will receive an exceptional financial aid from the government in September, to help with the rising cost of living.
The details of the prime de rentrée exceptionnelle (exceptional back-to-work bonus) was agreed by Parliament during debates on the projet de loi de finances rectificative budget amendment bill.
It will be paid to eligible groups “over the course of September”, according to the finance ministry, and is designed to help with food shopping.
We look at who qualifies for this ‘bonus’ and how much they will receive.
What are the eligibility criteria?
The prime will be paid to eight million people who receive social benefits such as the revenu de solidarité active (RSA), the allocation adulte handicapé, the allocation spécifique de solidarité and the allocation de solidarité aux personnes âgées. Bursary students will also qualify.
The finance ministry has also stated that the 2.8 million people in receipt of the prime d’activité for low-income workers will also benefit from the funding.
How much will the government pay eligible people?
A base payment of €100 will be paid to each household receiving social benefits, with an extra €50 for each child.
Eligible people will receive the payment automatically, and do not need to do anything.
The amount to be paid to prime d’activité recipients has not yet been revealed.
“Those who do not qualify for baseline social benefits but who receive the prime d’activité will get a complementary payment at la rentrée, as well as the 4% prime d’activité increase already decided in July,” the government told Le Figaro.
Read more: Livret A, health pass: Seven changes for residents in France in August
In total, the aid is set to cost the state €1.1billion.
What is the difference between this and the allocation de rentrée scolaire?
The allocation de rentrée scolaire is aimed specifically at helping low-income families shoulder the costs associated with the return to school after the summer.
To qualify for this aid, the family’s income should not exceed €25,370 for one child, €31,225 for two, €37,080 for three and so on.
This funding will be distributed on August 16 and will vary depending on the age of the child, ranging from €376.98 for six to 10-year-olds to €411.56 for 15 to 18-year-olds.
France’s prime de rentrée exceptionnelle is not designed to replace this back-to-school bonus, but can instead be combined with it to help boost a household’s spending power.
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