everything that changes on July 1, 2024

These last few weeks have been very tense in France following the dissolution of the National Assembly and the legislative elections. The climate is not calm, between heated debates, increasing attacks and the economic crisis still raging. Inflation and pensions still remain at the heart of the concerns of French households. Housing, consumption, work…: what changes will happen in July 2024?

Everything that changes from July 1, 2024

The price of gas increases

The benchmark gas sales price shows an increase between June and July 2024 due to the revaluation of the network usage tariff and the rise in wholesale natural gas prices:

• the average level of the benchmark sales price for natural gas will be €129.2/MWh including tax, an increase of 11.7% compared to June 2024;
• the average benchmark price excluding tax increases from €77.32/MWh to €90.38/MWh.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) calculates an annual average price per MWh consumed, based on data provided by GRDF. This price includes the fixed and variable portions applied to cooking/hot water and heating consumers. The CRE still recommends for the month of July an annual price of between €114.30 and €277.43 per year for the subscription.

Fighting shrinkflation in supermarkets

For greater transparency for consumers, supermarkets must now display the price and content of products in the event of a change (reduction in the quantity of the product with or without a price increase). Please note that this new information requirement only applies to stores with a sales area greater than 400 m².

Unemployment insurance benefits

Unemployment insurance benefits are revalued by 1.2%. This revaluation “would affect around 2 million compensated job seekers” out of around 2.7 million in total, according to Unédic. Some beneficiaries of less than six months are not affected.

Evolution of the DPE calculation

The method of calculating the energy performance diagnosis (DPE) changes from July 1, 2024. A decree of March 25, 2024 modified the thresholds for the DPE labels applying to housing less than 40 m². This measure comes into force on July 1, 2024 and aims to make these different thresholds more equitable and to remove nearly 140,000 small surface housing units from the category of “energy sieves”.

As indicated on the Public Service website, the text specifies that the surface area taken into account is “the reference surface area of ​​the building. This surface area is the habitable surface area of ​​the building, to which are added the surfaces of heated verandas as well as the surfaces of premises heated for the main use of human occupation, with a ceiling height of at least 1.80 m.”

DPEs which were carried out between July 1, 2021 and July 1, 2024 on housing with a reference surface area less than or equal to 40 m² may be the subject of a document which attests to the new DPE labelIn the absence of a new certificate, the DPE initially produced will remain valid.

Launch of Operation Tranquility Vacations

Operation Tranquility Holidays is a police and gendarmerie service which offers watch over your home during prolonged absences and to notify you in the event of an anomaly (yourself or a trusted person close to the location). Surveillance is ensured by patrols carried out day and night, during the week and at weekends.

The system works in all French departments. Registration can be done throughout the year, even outside of school holidays. The duration of absence cannot exceed 1 year. You can complete the online registration process here.