France’s Chèque Énergie: Who is Eligible & How to Use It

The chèque énergie (energy cheque) is an income-based government aid issued to households in France to contribute towards their energy bills. These cheques are sent out annually to qualifying households in spring (typically late March or April) and can be used to pay electricity, gas, fuel (heating), and other energy (wood, biomass, etc.) bills.

The amount of the cheques vary based on your income, with the minimum amount at €48 including VAT and the maximum at €277 including VAT.

Around 5.8 million households throughout France qualify for the annual chèque énergie, which is calculated based on your income and the number of people living in your household. Households earning less than €11,000 per unité de consommation or UC (energy consuming units, calculated based on the number of people living in your house) are eligible to receive the cheque.

To find out whether you are eligible, you take your Revenue fiscal de référence (RFR) – your total taxable income, which you’ll find on your most recent avis d’imposition (tax notice) – and divide it by the UC. Note that, similar to calculating your taxable household, this isn’t simply the number of people in your household. Instead, it is calculated accordingly:

1 person (i.e. a single person living alone)  = 1 UC

2 people (i.e. a couple living together) = 1.5 UC

3 people or more (i.e. a couple living together with 1 or more children) = 1.5 UC (2 people) + 0.3 UC for each additional person.

You can see a full breakdown of the chèque énergie calculations here.

How do I apply for a chèque énergie?

Energy cheques are issued automatically based on your tax declarations from the previous year—you don’t need to apply for one. Eligible households will be sent their chèque énergie annually by mail, typically in late March or April.

The energy cheque is not a bank cheque and cannot be exchanged for cash or credit – instead, it must be used to pay or contribute towards your energy bills with a valid supplier. To use your cheque, the easiest option is to register it online at: chequeenergie.gouv.fr.

Under the section « J’ai reçu un chèque énergie » (I’ve received an energy cheque) click « Utiliser mon chèque en ligne cette année » (Use my energy cheque online this year) and follow the steps below. You will need to enter the details of your energy provider, including your contract number and client reference number. You can find this on your energy bill or online in your espace client.

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