[Update: November 9 at 10:00: the Paca Region says the grant has closed early after all of the allocated EU funds have been used up]
People with modest revenues living in south-east France can claim a €250 cheque to help with energy costs.
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (Paca) region is offering the cheque, called the Coup de pouce énergie, to up to 100,000 households, but people must apply for it before November 22.
Renaud Muselier, president of the Paca region, announced the cheque on France Bleu in September.
“I managed to secure €25m of European funding, which will be used to help single parents, large families and those referred to as the working poor,” he said.
The €25m grant behind the Coup de pouce énergie was issued by the European Union’s European Social Fund.
Who is eligible for the €250 cheque?
You must live in the Paca region and earn less than 60% of the region’s median income of €22,070 to be eligible.
This means that a single person without children must have an income of less than €13,242 to be eligible. This increases if more people live in the household:
- €19,863 for a couple or a single parent
- €23,835, for a couple with one child or a single parent with two children
- €27,808 for a couple with two children or a single parent with three children
- Rising to a maximum of €55,616 for a couple nine children or a single parent with ten
How can I apply?
You can apply on the region’s website until November 22. The cheque will arrive no later than December 15.
You will need to provide:
- Your name and address
- Identity documents (ID card, passport, titre de séjour)
- Your last tax statement, or avis d’impostion,
- Proof of residence from within the past three months (rent slip, electricity or water bill)
- Your bank details (foreign bank accounts are not accepted)
Can I use this cheque as well as the Chèque énergie?
Yes. It is independent of the government’s Chèque énergie.
The Chèque énergie, which was issued in April 2023 to 5.6 million households with modest revenues, can be used until March 31, 2024.
Read more:
LIST: See what state aid is available to repair home goods in France
Income Tax in France 2023 (for 2022 income)*
Visa and residency cards for France*
