Reminder: You have until March 31 to spend last year’s energy vouchers

If you’ve still got energy vouchers (chèques énergie) kicking around from last year, you have until March 31 to spend them.

After this date, energy suppliers will no longer accept them.

The vouchers, which can be worth up to €277, are a French government initiative to help low-income households pay their energy bills.

More than 5 million households will receive 2023’s vouchers via the post, although distribution has been delayed this year.

What can I use the energy vouchers for?

You can use the vouchers to pay for energy bills, heating costs, and even towards renovations to make your house more energy efficient.

In the case of the latter, it is possible to exchange the energy voucher for a work voucher, if the work will be finished after March 31. To do this, you must contact the ministry via email or telephone (0 805 204 805).

This work must also be carried out by an official ‘RGE’-certified company – you can use the government website here to search for qualified professionals local to you.

The Connexion has published a full list of what you can use your energy voucher for here.

Read more: Heat your house in France with wood? How to apply for aid

If you fail to use the voucher before March 31, you may be able to gain a replacement if you declare it lost or stolen.

You must do this before April 30, and must contact the ministry to ask for a replacement, using the same contact links given above.

You will need your numéro fiscal alongside the number of the energy voucher, if possible.

If the voucher is damaged or torn, it is still usable provided the necessary information (such as ticket number, amount, validity date, etc) is visible. If not, you can ask for a replacement before April 30.

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