Unemployment: job seekers, you will lose several hundred euros in 2025

From April 1, 2025, the payment of unemployment benefits will be monthly for job seekers. A new rule which will cause a significant loss of income for the unemployed.

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This is a big blow for job seekers. The agreement on unemployment insurance, negotiated between the social partners, was officially approved by the government at the end of December 2024. Consequence: the rules for compensation for the unemployed will tighten from April 1, 2025. However, a new rule will particularly penalize job seekers. Indeed, from the second quarter of 2025, the payment of unemployment benefits will be monthly, which will automatically lead to a significant loss of compensation for the unemployed.

To better understand, remember that the monthly amount of compensation for a jobseeker currently varies depending on the number of days in the month. In other words, the monthly unemployment benefit is higher for a month of 31 days, than for a month of 30 days or even 28 days. However, from April 1, 2025, the monthly amount of compensation for a jobseeker will be automatically calculated on the basis of a 30-day calendar month, each month of the year. For a total of 360 days of compensation per year. Consequently, beneficiaries will automatically lose five days of compensation over a full year, or even six days maximum during leap years, which have 366 days.

So what will be the loss of earnings for the unemployed with the entry into force of this measure? According to Unédic, the organization responsible for managing unemployment insurance, the minimum allowance paid to a full-time jobseeker is set at 31.97 euros gross per day. The implementation of monthly payments will therefore result in a loss of income of 159.85 euros per year for an unemployed person receiving the legal minimum compensation, which represents a loss of 5 days of compensation. In a leap year, which has 366 days, the loss of annual resources for our jobseeker will even amount to 191.82 euros (6 x 31.97 euros).

448.2 euros gross loss per year on average

Let us also point out that in 2023, according to figures from France Travail, the average daily allowance for a jobseeker amounted to 47 euros gross per day. From April 1, 2025, an unemployed person who receives the average allowance will therefore see their annual income reduced by 235 euros gross, which corresponds to 5 days of compensation. It should also be noted that the maximum unemployment benefit is set at 289.64 euros gross per day. With the tightening of the rules, an unemployed person who receives this ceiling allowance will lose 1,448.2 euros of income for a year of 365 days.

Note that the monthly payment of unemployment benefits for job seekers will be effective for all unemployment insurance beneficiaries, including those who received compensation before April 1, 2025. The new agreement of the unemployment insurance, which sets the rules for compensating the unemployed, is effective for a period of 4 years, i.e. until December 31, 2028.