The energy check is a government subsidy which partially finances the energy costs of households with limited income. This year, many eligible households have still not received this check due to an administrative malfunction.
It was the removal of the housing tax for main residences, leading to a loss of data, which prevented the administration from recognizing households newly eligible for the energy check. Thus, around a million households did not receive it during the annual automatic distribution campaign, which took place last April. This category of French people can make claims from July.
Indeed, the Ministry of the Economy announced, on May 5, the opening of an online complaints platform during the month of July. Information confirmed in a decree published on June 20 in the Official Journal. According to the same decree, this platform will be available until December 31, 2024. The aggrieved French people therefore have until the end of the year to claim the 2024 energy check.
How to claim your energy check
Before proceeding with the online claim, eligible households must first gather certain supporting documents. According to the ministerial decree, the claimant must accompany his request with a copy of the identity card, as well as a copy of an electricity or natural gas bill. He must also indicate his last name, first name, date of birth and tax number on the claim form. However, before engaging in a dispute procedure, it is useful to check your eligibility for the system. To do this, it is possible to use an online simulator which can also estimate the amount owed if eligibility is confirmed.
As a reminder, the energy check is granted to households whose reference tax income (RFR) is less than 11,000 euros per consumption unit. The amount of this government aid varies from 48 to 277 euros, depending on the amount of the RFR and the number of CUs. For example, if the RFR is less than 5,700 euros, the amount of the energy check for 1 UC is 194 euros. Whereas, for 2 CU, it reaches 277 euros. The higher the amount of the RFR, the lower the subsidy amount.
