Households with modest incomes

Exceptional energy check in 2022: 100 to 200 € extra

Publié le null - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

In response to soaring energy prices, a €100 to €200 exceptional energy check is being paid to 40% of low-income households from the end of December. A decree issued in Official Journal of 11 December 2022 confirms and clarifies its implementation. The schedule for sending checks by department is available on the Energy Check website. The point with Service-Public.fr.

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Image 1Crédits: Ministry of Energy Transition

The exceptional energy check

Since 2018, an energy check has been distributed to the poorest 6 million households once a year, in the spring. In 2022, an exceptional check is also sent automatically to beneficiaries from the end of December (dispatch spread over a period of 8 weeks). 12 million households are affected, more than one in three.

The amount of this new energy check is 100 or 200 € depending on the income and composition of the households. This is in addition to the annual energy check already sent to 5.8 million households in 2022.

The exceptional energy check is paid to the most modest households according to the following provisions:

  • €200 for households that are already beneficiaries of the conventional energy check, and for which the annual reference tax income per unit of consumption is less than €10 800;
  • €100 for households with an annual reference tax income per unit of consumption of between €10 800 and €17 400.

The dispatch schedule exceptional energy checks by department are available on the energy check website.

Please note

A household is the group of people who share the same dwelling. The value of the consumption units (CPUs) is calculated as follows: the first person in the household counts for 1 CPU, the second for 0.5 CPUs and the following for 0.3 CPUs. These values are halved for minor children in alternate residence at each parent's home.

FYI  

The Order clarifies that energy suppliers are required to accept the exceptional energy check until March 31, 2024, and that the check can be submitted for reimbursement until May 31, 2024. This represents an additional year of validity compared to the conventional energy check.

Reminder on the classic energy check

The energy check has been in existence since 2018. It is a nominal aid intended for the most modest households to help them pay their energy bills, which concerns electricity bills as well as gas, wood, fuel oil, etc. It can also finance some energy renovation works. It is awarded on a means-tested basis.

The allocation of the energy check shall be subject to the following conditions:

  • living in a dwelling that is taxable under the housing tax (even if you are exempt);
  • have declared their income to the tax authorities;
  • do not exceed a certain amount of resources determined according to your income and the composition of your household (reference tax income per unit of consumption: RFR/UC).

In 2022, the amount of the energy check is between €48 and €277.

FYI  

In 2021, this State aid was opened to residents of residential care facilities for dependent elderly persons (EHPAD), residential care facilities for elderly persons (EHPA), independent residences and long-term care facilities (LTCF and LTCF). Hosted persons can use the energy check to pay for the share of energy consumption in their charge.

Please note

You can check your eligibility for the energy check through the simulator on the energy check website. To do this, bring your tax number.

How do I use the energy check?

The energy check is not cashable by your bank. It is used to pay various expenses directly to energy suppliers (electricity, natural gas or liquefied oil, domestic fuel oil, wood, biomass or other fuels for heating or hot water production).

  • You can use your energy check to pay your expenses directly online; it is then credited directly to your customer account (the list of suppliers accepting online payment is available on the energy check site; other providers may accept payment online in the future) or by giving it directly to your provider.
  • To have your energy check for the next few years deducted directly from your electricity or gas bill, you can request its pre-allocation, either online, or by checking the pre-allocation box on the energy check before sending it to your supplier, if he offers this service.
  • This check can also be used to fund energy efficiency work that meets the criteria for the energy transition tax credit.

Reminder

Energy suppliers can accept the 2022 energy check in payment until March 31, 2023.

Please note

Since 2022, beneficiaries of the energy check can create their own secure space from the e-mail address they gave to the tax department. This space allows you to perform all the steps online: visualize the energy checks, manage and consult the pre-assignments and automatic activations of the protections associated with the energy check.

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