Can I get France’s wood fuel support payment as well as that for oil?

Reader Question: I have received a chèque énergie fioul to the value of €100 and since we use both fioul and bois de chauffage for both hot water and house heating, I have tried to apply for a chèque énergie bois as well. But I have been told that since I have already had the fioul cheque I don't qualify for the one relating to wood/logs.

Can you tell me if this is correct please?

France’s government has this winter launched various schemes to help people on lower incomes manage their rising energy bills.

What are the aids available?

Some 12 million households are being sent an exceptional chèque énergie (energy cheque) to help with their bills, and further, more specific aids are also being paid for people who use heating oil and/or wood.

Read more: Explainer: Who will receive France's €100-€200 extra energy aid

The chèque énergie bois is available for 70% of the people in France who use logs or wood pellets to heat their homes, or 2.6 million people.

People using wood pellets will receive €100-€200, while people using logs will receive €50-€100 depending on their income.

Further information on this aid, and how to apply, can be found here. Applicants will need a wood fuel bill for at least €50, and payments will be sent out from mid February.

The application portal will remain open until April 30.

People who use heating oil are also being sent a chèque énergie exceptionnel opération fioul, depending on their income.

If you normally get an energy cheque each year and used it in 2022 to buy heating oil, you will automatically receive a cheque for €200.

If you use heating oil in your home but did not receive an energy cheque this year, you can apply for aid here.

If you are deemed eligible, you will receive a cheque for €100-€200 depending on your income.

Read more: Electricity, gas, wood, oil: do you qualify for heating aid in France?

Can the support be combined?

Both the heating oil and wood fuel support payments can be used in conjunction with the exceptional energy cheque mentioned above, and both can be used to pay for any type of fuel.

For example, the wood fuel cheque can be used to buy wood, but also to pay for a gas or electricity bill.

However, the government has stated that it is not possible to receive both the wood fuel cheque and the heating oil cheque.

This is perhaps because people who receive one of these cheques are likely to also receive the energy cheque – since all of the aids are means tested – and so will already be benefiting from additional support.

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