Several profiles, until now excluded or given little help, will finally see the difference in their bank accounts.
The activity bonus is this boost paid by the CAF or the MSA to workers over 18 who have modest incomes. Employees, self-employed, full-time, part-time: as long as there is a professional activity and the income does not exceed certain ceilings, the right can be granted. Today, more than 4.5 million beneficiaries receive it, or nearly 9 million people covered. The principle is clear: supplement a salary so that working pays more than remaining unemployed.
The amount depends on several elements: household income, family composition, certain social benefits and housing situation. A single person without children is not treated like a couple with two children, and a single parent may benefit from a temporary increase. The calculation is done automatically from quarterly declarations, now largely pre-filled. Concretely, the bonus gradually decreases when the salary increases, until it amounts to around 2,000 euros net monthly for a single person. This is precisely where the reform will change the situation.
From April 1, 2026, the scale will evolve to smooth exit from the system and broaden access around these income levels. The stated objective is simple: to prevent a small increase in salary from losing the entire bonus and to make the gain at work more visible. Around three million households should benefit, with an average bonus announced around 50 euros per month. But behind this average, situations vary.
Let’s take the case of a single person, without children, who earns a little more than 2,000 euros net per month. Until now, with 2,032 euros net for example, she received nothing. From April 2026, she will become eligible and receive 56 euros of activity bonus each month. For an employee in this income bracket, this represents more than 650 euros over a full year, without additional action if the situation does not change.
On the family side, the effect is also tangible. A couple with two children, both members of whom work and together receive 3,566 euros net, today receives 115 euros of activity bonus per month. After the reform, this amount will increase to 169 euros, or 54 euros more. Same logic for a couple with two children but only one salary, around 1,854 euros net: the premium will increase from 436 to 490 euros monthly, again an additional 54 euros.
Note that single parents are not forgotten. Until now, a single mother or father with two children, earning around 2,068 euros net per month, received no bonus. From April 1, 2026, this household will receive 68 euros per month. Over a year, this represents more than 800 euros. A boost far from being anecdotal.
