What do we do if we have not had our French energy cheque yet?

Reader Question: We think we are eligible for this year’s chèque énergie payment, but have not yet received it. What should we do?

Between March 30 and April 30, France’s departmental authorities sent out chèques énergie to some 5.8 million lower income households, to help them manage their rising energy costs. 

Such energy cheques have been distributed since 2018, and total €48-€277 depending on the household in question. 

Everyone who is eligible for the payment should have received it by now, considering that the cheques are sent out automatically. 

However, if you have not had yours, there are a few things you can do. 

• Check that you are definitely eligible 

To qualify for a chèque énergie, you must have a revenu fiscal de référence taxable income of less than €10,800 per unité de consommation. One person living alone counts as a single unit, while a second counts as 0.5 and any additional people count as 0.3.

Read more: Am I eligible for France’s chèque énergie 2022?

So, for a couple living together but without children, the taxable household income must not exceed €16,200, for example.  

You can check whether you will be eligible for the cheque on this government simulator, which will ask for your numéro fiscal tax number.  

Your home must also be subject to taxe d’habitation, even if you are not required to pay it, and you must have declared your income to the tax authorities last year. 

If you did not declare your income when required, you must resolve this before you can receive the cheque.

• Claim your cheque online or by phone

If you are indeed eligible for the cheque and have not received it, you can claim it by filling in the online contact form created to this end, including the subject line: ‘Contestation - non réception’ (Query - non-receipt). 

You can also call the freephone number 0805 204 805 between 08:00 and 20:00, Monday to Friday.

You can also call this number if you were sent a cheque but it was lost or stolen. Alternatively, you can complete the above contact form including your tax number and the cheque number, which is written on the letter you should have received with the payment. 

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