France’s ‘Christmas bonus’: Who is eligible and how does it work?
The annual payments are set to begin next month. We explain who is eligible, how it will be paid, and how the amount is calculated
The Caf organise the payout, but those eligible do not need to directly apply for it
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Two million people in France are set to receive a Christmas ‘bonus’, la prime de Noël, in a payment that has been made annually since 1998. Here’s how to find out if you are eligible, and how it works.
The ‘prime de Noël’, as it is known, is officially termed the ‘prime exceptionnelle de fin d'année’ (one-off end-of-year bonus).
The minimum amount changes each year, and in 2022 for a single person living alone with no children was €152.45.
When will it be paid?
Payments are made in December, usually around the middle of the month.
In 2023, payments will be made from December 15.
If you only begin to receive certain benefits that make you eligible for the payout in December, the payment is made in January of the following year.
How is the payment made?
The payment is made through automatic bank transfer to eligible accounts after conditional checks have been completed. There is no need to apply to the Caisse d'allocations familiales (CAF).
Who is eligible?
This aid is paid to some recipients of at least one of the following benefits:
- Revenu de solidarité active (RSA)
- Allocation de solidarité spécifique (ASS)
- Allocation équivalent retraite (AER)
It is also available to people who are receiving the new business aid (aide à la création et la reprise d'entreprise (ACRE-ASS)), and those who are receiving la prime transitoire de solidarité (PTS).
How much is the payment amount?
The amount depends on how many people make up the household (only one payment is made per household), namely how many adults and children are in the household.
The below figures are an estimate from 2023; the exact amount will depend on your specific circumstances.
- If you are a single person without children: €152.45
- If you live with a partner and no children or live alone with one child: €228.67
- If you live with a partner and have one child, or if you live alone and have two children: €274.41
- If you live with a partner and two children: €320.14
- If you live alone with three children: €335.39.
- If you are a couple with three children: €381.12
- With four children, if you live alone: €396.37
- If you are a couple with four children: €442.10
- With five children, if you are on your own: €457.35
- For each additional person: € 60.98
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