Energy check: who are the French concerned by this aid paid from this Friday?

Good news for the 5.8 million households benefiting from the energy voucher: it should arrive in mailboxes soon. The amount of this check, which is issued subject to resource conditions each year, varies from 48 to 277 euros. The administration will send the first ones on April 21, with a usual reception in the following two and four days. Don't worry, however, if nothing arrives within this time frame, not all departments receive it at the same time. For example, it will be necessary to wait for the week of May 15 to 19 for the Morbihannais, Tarnais or Creusois (among others).

This system replaces, since January 1, 2018, the social tariffs for electricity and gas. You can use it to pay your energy bills (electricity, gas, heat, oil, wood, etc.) with your supplier. You can also pay for certain work aimed at limiting the energy consumption of your home (renovation of windows, insulation, etc.) with your RGE tradesman in addition to existing renovation aid. This work must be carried out by a certified professional "Recognized guarantor of the environment" (RGE). The France Rénov' website provides a list of RGE professionals. On the other hand, car fuel expenses are not eligible. Moreover, the energy check cannot be cashed at a bank.

The energy checks are sent to your home by post, between April 21 and May 30, 2023. A calendar summarizes the date of dispatch for each department. For their part, the exceptional energy checks were paid between December 2022 and February 2023.

To cope with soaring electricity and gas prices in 2023, an exceptional check for 100 or 200 euros was sent to households with low incomes. It concerned 40% of households, ie 12 million households, in addition to the other energy vouchers allocated.

An exceptional energy check to help households with oil heating has been set up. 1.6 million households in France can be affected by this check, ranging from 100 to 200 euros. Unlike the classic energy check, an application must be submitted to the online counter where you will have to provide a fuel bill less than 18 months old. You have until April 30, 2023 to apply. Households having already received a check in 2022 and “having used their last energy check to pay a fuel bill” automatically received the fuel check at the end of 2022.

A “wood energy” check, with assistance ranging from 50 to 200 euros, was also paid for households heating with wood, subject to means testing. The closing date for applications has been postponed to May 31, 2023. Please note that the exceptional wood check and the exceptional fuel oil check cannot be combined, specifies the public service website. This aid is not paid automatically, so you must also apply for it on the dedicated portal.

The expiry date of your check is written on the front. In general, it corresponds to March 31 of the year following its distribution. When the validity date of the check has passed, your supplier is not required to accept it. Until the same date, you can request here the exchange against a works check specifically dedicated to the financing of energy renovation works and valid for 2 additional years.

To be able to benefit from the energy voucher, the annual reference tax income (RFR) of your household must be less than €11,000 per consumption unit (CU). The CU is used to calculate your consumption knowing that one person constitutes 1 CU, the 2nd person constitutes 0.5 CU, and each additional person constitutes 0.3 CU. These values ​​are reduced by half for minor children in alternating residence at the home of each parent. For 2023, it is the income declared in 2022, for the year 2021, which is taken into account, in addition to the composition of the household on January 1, 2022. An eligibility simulator is available here.

The amount of the energy check depends on the income and composition of the household.

The check is for a minimum of 48 euros and a maximum of 277 euros, indicates the government. It amounts to 150 euros on average.

There is no procedure to complete to receive the classic energy check: all you need to do is file your income tax return with the tax authorities the previous year, even if you don't pay income tax. It is the tax administration that determines whether you meet the conditions for allocation. If this is the case, you will receive a nominative check at home, in paper format.

If, however, you have not received an energy check when you are eligible for it (see simulator above), you are invited to use the contact form (link here) indicating "Dispute - Non-receipt" in the subject demand. You can also contact energy check assistance on 0 805 204 805 (toll-free number: service and free call), with your tax notices.

First of all, it is necessary to know that the energy check cannot pay several energy expenses: it is not divisible, nor refundable. It must be used once on a single energy contract. However, when you use an energy check for the payment of an electricity, natural gas, LPG bill delivered in bulk or for payment to a housing manager, and if the value of the energy check is greater than the amount of the invoice, then the overpayment will be deducted from the next invoice or even from the following invoices.

How you use your energy check depends on the expenses you want to pay with it. For each use, the procedure to follow is detailed below.

You can use your energy voucher without waiting for your next bill by entering the energy voucher number here. It will then be directly credited to your customer account. A directory of suppliers accepting online payment is available here. You can also send it to your supplier by post with a document (invoice, schedule, etc.) showing your customer references, without forgetting your customer number on the back of the check.

It is also possible to request that the amount of the check be automatically deducted from your bill for future years by going to this site, or by checking the "pre-assignment" box directly on the paper energy check before sending it. to your supplier, or by calling 0 805 204 805 (free service and call).

You can give it directly to your supplier. It must be used at once, and if the invoice is less than the amount of the check, change will not be given.

Work eligible for MaPrimeRénov' can be paid for with the energy check. If they are made before March 31 of the year following the date on which the check is sent, you pay your bill directly with the energy check. You can also keep the value of your energy check to finance work that you will undertake later. In this case, before the expiry date of your energy voucher, go here or contact the energy voucher assistance by telephone 0 805 204 805 (Toll-free number: Free Call Service) to exchange your voucher. A new cheque, called work cheque, will then be sent to you, valid for 2 additional years but only for the payment of energy renovation work.

If you live in a social residence and you have private disposal of your accommodation (therefore you are subject to housing tax, even if you benefit from an exemption), you can use your energy check by giving it to your manager who will deduct it from your future royalties.

If you live in a social residence and you do not have the private disposal of your accommodation, it is up to the manager of your social residence to make a request for specific assistance. In which case, you don't have to take any action: your manager will automatically pass on the amount of aid he receives to your fee. The annual amount of this aid is 192 euros per private accommodation occupied for an entire year.

If you live in an EPHAD, you can give your energy check directly to the manager of the establishment. The value of the check will be deducted from your next royalties.

If you live in an APL approved accommodation, you can give your energy check directly to the manager of your accommodation. The value of the check will be deducted from the next royalty(s).