The Family Allowance Fund (CAF) discreetly offers financial assistance for the purchase of used cars, a scheme of which few beneficiaries seem to be informed. In a context where precariousness is increasing and many families are struggling to make ends meet, this aid could nevertheless transform the daily lives of those who need it most. But who can really benefit from this aid, and why doesn't CAF do more to promote it?
Assistance in the form of an interest-free loan, but reserved for a few
If the idea of help to acquire a car seems appealing, the reality is more complex. Unlike other automatic CAF benefits, this aid requires meeting several strict conditions. It is above all reserved for people engaged in a professional activity or those about to return to paid employment. In other words, if you are unemployed or in a situation of prolonged precariousness, access to this assistance is much less certain.
CAF's support takes the form of an interest-free loan, intended to finance the purchase of a used vehicle. To obtain this aid, beneficiaries must also accept a social survey and follow an often discouraging administrative process.
Complex procedures and restrictive criteria
Beyond the selection criteria, the administrative procedures linked to this aid deter many potential beneficiaries. The CAF requires the creation of a rigorous file, with the help of a social worker. The granting of aid is only possible after a careful assessment of the needs and resources of the applicant, without forgetting the constraint of presenting various supporting documents to prove the need for a vehicle.
Faced with this complexity, many retirees or households in difficulty give up. This bureaucratic aspect prevents many beneficiaries from requesting this aid, despite a real shortage of means of transport in rural areas or for precarious workers.
Why does CAF keep this aid so discreet?
CAF offers many little-known and often complex aids to access. Between the RSAthe activity bonus, and housing assistance, beneficiaries are often drowned in a multitude of measures, which makes it difficult to identify certain specific assistance. Added to this is a lack of communication around these one-off aids, such as that for the purchase of used cars. Result: few beneficiaries know that they can claim it.
However, the CAF could simplify the procedures and make this system more accessible. In a context where mobility is becoming an essential issue for finding a job or avoiding isolation, better information and simplification of procedures could benefit many households in difficulty.
What other support does CAF offer?
In addition to assistance for used vehicles, CAF offers interest-free loans for the purchase of computer equipment, useful assistance for families with school-going children. But here again, the criteria are strict, and the tedious procedures often discourage beneficiaries. To obtain this type of support, families must turn to the social action fund of the CAF, after which the monthly payments are deducted from the monthly allowances.
While the CAF could be a more effective support actor for households in difficulty, this administrative complexity reduces access to aid that is nevertheless crucial for some.
Useful link: https://www.caf.fr/allocataires/caf-de-l-oise/offre-de-service/vie-professionnelle/j-ai-besoin-d-une-aide-pour-achat-un -used-vehicle
