France’s Christmas bonus: who receives it, and how much is it in 2025?

Around two million households in France will receive a ‘Christmas bonus’ benefit payment today (December 16) in their bank account.

The ‘prime de Noël’ is paid to households which receive certain benefits from the caisses d'allocations familiales (CAF), and is aimed at helping cover the cost of Christmas expenses. 

Recipients include those who receive revenu de solidarité active (RSA) income support from the CAF.

It is also paid to those receiving certain jobseekers’ benefits from France Travail (formerly called Pôle Emploi): allocation de solidarité spécifique (ASS) and allocation équivalent retraite (AER).

Recipients had to have received one of these benefits in November 2025 in order to receive the payment today. If only receiving the benefit in December 2025, a delayed Christmas bonus will be paid in January 2026.

The payment is made automatically and recipients do not need to do anything to receive it. 

However, it does require that up-to-date bank details are held by the CAF or France Travail. 

Usually increasing in line with inflation, amounts are largely similar to last year, with only minor changes for couples and those with several children. 

Payments are: 

• €152.45 for a single person, or €228.68 for a couple. 

• €228.68 for a single person with one child, €274.41 for a couple with one child.

• €274.41 for a single person with two children, €320.15 for a couple with two children 

• €335.39 for a single person with three children, €381.13 for a couple with three children 

• €396.37 for a single person with four children, €442.11 for a couple with four children

• €457.35 for a single person with five children, €503.09 for a couple with five children 

Each additional child in the household above this sees an additional €60.98 for both single people and couples. 

Note, beneficiaries of the ASS and AER benefits are limited to a payment of €152.45.

The payment does not need to be declared on the spring tax declaration.