Energy check: ceiling and conditions 2025

What is the energy check?

Financial assistance for paying energy bills

The energy check is a financial aid set up by the French government to help low-income households pay their energy expenses. Its aim is to combat energy poverty by facilitating access to essential resources such as heating, electricity or gas.

Energy expenditure concerned

Managed by the Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry, the energy check allows you to pay part of your electricity or gas bill. It can also be used to pay for purchases of any other heating energy (domestic fuel oil, wood, electricity, LPG, etc.).

This can also be used to pay the heating charges included in your fee if you are housed in a young workers’ home, a migrant workers’ home, an EHPAD, an EHPA, an independent residence, a long-term care unit, etc. Since 2020, EHPAD residents also benefit.

Help to finance renovation work

Another potential use is the financing of energy renovation work, as long as you call on a “RGE” certified craftsman (Recognized guarantor of the environment). The France-renov site provides a list of these professionals.

How do you know if you are entitled to the 2024 energy check?

Run a simulation on chequeenergie.gouv.fr

To check your eligibility for the energy check, the public authorities have set up a simulator on the official website. Simply enter your tax number (or those of all family members). You will then know immediately if your household is eligible for the energy check.

Test the simulator without indicating your tax number

If the answer is negative, but you still think you meet the conditions, you can test the simulator without indicating your tax number or contact User Assistance on 0 805 204 805.

Who is entitled to the energy check?

In 2025, the energy check system in France will include notable modifications aimed at optimizing its allocation and better targeting households experiencing energy poverty.

Means test

The energy check is financial assistance subject to a resource ceiling, measured in a complex way since it depends on the “reference tax income per consumption unit”. The reference tax income (RFR) is an element appearing on your tax notice, while the consumption units (UC) depend on the size of your household.

Condition linked to household composition

The first person counts as one unit (CU), the second as 0.5 and each additional person as 0.3. Concretely, to benefit from it, a single person must have a reference tax income of less than 11,000 euros in 2025.

Delivery Point Number (PDL)

From 2025, the use of the PDL will make it possible to precisely associate an electricity contract with a home, guaranteeing that only one energy check is allocated per household and avoiding duplication. The PDL is a unique identifier assigned to each electricity meter. It allows you to precisely locate a meter and associate it with a specific home.

What is the ceiling that must not be exceeded to receive the energy check?

The energy check is financial assistance intended to support low-income households in paying their energy expenses. The amount of this assistance varies depending on the reference tax income (RFR) and the composition of the household.

Here is the energy check scale in December 2024 based on consumption units and resources:

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How much is the energy check?

The amount of the energy check varies from 48 to 277 euros. On average, the aid is 150 euros per household. Not insignificant, even if it is only a boost. The amounts of the energy check in 2025 will remain the same.

How to claim the energy check?

Until 2024, the energy check was automatically sent to eligible households, as long as you met the resource conditions and completed your income tax return (which allowed the administration to determine whether or not you should benefit from it). ).

From 2025: active application for new beneficiaries

From 2025, newly eligible households will have to make an active request to receive the energy check. This will be done via a dedicated online platform, where applicants will need to provide information such as their tax number, proof of identity and an energy bill in their name.

For those who do not have Internet access, it will be possible to make the request via a contact form or user assistance, then send the supporting documents by post.

Households already benefiting from the energy check in 2025

Households who already received the energy check before 2025 will continue to benefit automatically, provided that their financial and family situation remains unchanged. As in 2024, you will receive your energy check by mail, to the last address known by the tax authorities.

If your reference tax income exceeds the eligibility threshold or if your family composition changes, you will need to report these changes. An update of your eligibility can be made via the income tax return.

Non-receipt of the energy check in 2024

If you have not received the 2024 energy check even though you believe you meet the conditions, it is possible to make a complaint to the energy check counter. This approach is accessible until December 31, 2024 via the official website or telephone assistance at 0 805 204 805 (free service).

When was the energy check paid in 2024?

Calendar and deadlines

In 2024, automatic sending of energy checks took place between April, between the 2nd and the 25th. If you have not received your check and think you are eligible, a dedicated portal has been set up to carry out a request until December 31, 2024.

Validity period

Ultimately, 5.6 million French people will benefit from it. Shipping may take between two and four days. Once received, it is valid for one year (validity date written on the check). Thus, the 2024 energy check is valid until March 31, 2025.

Note that if you wish to use it to reduce your gas or electricity bill, it is possible to automate the procedure.

How to use the energy check?

Note that the administration will never ask for your bank details to send the energy check. Requests of this type must be refused. Stay vigilant!

Payment to the energy supplier

To pay with the energy check, you must send it to your energy supplier (electricity, natural gas, liquefied petroleum, fuel oil, wood). To do this, you have two options:

• Postal delivery: detach the corresponding part of the check, send it to your energy supplier with a copy of your invoice or specifying your customer number. The amount will then be directly deducted from your next bill.
• Online use: connect to the official website, select your provider, provide the requested information, including the PDL number. The amount will be credited directly to your account with the supplier.

For energy renovation work

The procedure is very simple: simply give the energy check directly to the craftsman or company in charge of the work, specifying that the amount must be deducted from the final invoice.

Payment of rental energy charges

To pay rental energy charges, you must send the energy check to your landlord or manager. He can use it to cover your energy costs. If the value of the energy check exceeds that of the charges or in the event of termination of the lease, the overpayment will be deducted from the next receipts or returned to the tenant.

Note that, social landlords, within the framework of the energy check and decree no. 2024-411 of May 4, 2024, are obliged to accept the energy check as a means of payment of rental charges including energy costs.

Points of vigilance

The energy check is valid until March 31 of the year following its issue. For example, an energy check issued in 2024 can be used until March 31, 2025 and can only be used once and for a single expense.

If you benefit from social assistance paid directly to the supplier (such as the FSL), the energy check may not be usable in addition.

Be accompanied

The chequeenergie.gouv.fr portal offers detailed information on the use of the energy check, the procedures to follow and answers to frequently asked questions. A toll-free number is also available for personalized help: 0 805 204 805 (Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., free call).

The Energy Check is part of the support offered by France Services advisors: it is therefore possible to go to a France Services area to be supported in using or claiming your energy check.

What are the additional benefits if I am eligible for this check?

Being a beneficiary of the energy check is not limited to obtaining financial assistance for your energy expenses. You can also benefit from additional benefits aimed at protecting you and reducing your energy costs.

In case of moving

In the event of a move, you are exempt from the costs of setting up the new contract. You also do not incur any costs in the event of payment rejection and benefit from an 80% reduction on the invoicing of a trip due to an interruption of supply.

Protection against interruptions and power reductions

If you are a beneficiary of the energy check, your electricity or gas supplier cannot cut off your energy supply in the event of non-payment. However, a power reduction can be applied, but never to the point of making the accommodation uninhabitable, except during the winter break (from November 1 to March 31).

Right to payment facilities

You can also request a payment spread for your bills from your energy supplier, without penalties. This option is particularly useful to avoid an accumulation of energy debts.

Priority for energy support systems

As a beneficiary of the energy check, you have priority access to support measures aimed at reducing your energy consumption, such as free energy audits offered by certain suppliers and easy access to advice on adopting economical actions.

Reductions in the context of energy renovation work

In addition to the energy check, you are eligible for other schemes such as MaPrimeRénov’, assistance to finance energy renovation work, as well as subsidies from local authorities. You can also apply for specific loans to finance your insulation or energy renovation work.

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