One-off help for low-paid French households due May 15

The government is providing one-off financial aid to help low-income households which will be paid out automatically on May 15.

The money, variable on family size, will be paid via the Caf family allowance bodies, Pôle Emploi for the unemployed, or the MSA social security body for the agriculture sector. It is not being limited to families with children and is also available for single people.

The aide exceptionnelle de solidarité is intended to help households make ends meet at a time when expenses have increased, for example, due to children eating at home instead of having subsidised school lunches. It is for households which receive the RSA income support benefit or the Allocation de Solidarité Spécifique (ASS), as well as households which do not have one of these but receive APL housing benefit.

The amount is €150/household receiving RSA or ASS plus €100 per dependent child.

Other households only obtain the €100 per dependent child. For example, a single childless person who obtains RSA, would receive €150, or a single person or couple with four children and APL (but not RSA or ASS) will receive €400.