Good news for the wallet. Usually sent in the spring, energy checks will gradually arrive in household mailboxes from this Monday, November 3. Their sending had been postponed until the fall due to the late adoption of the finance law for 2025. We take stock of all the elements to know about this boost to households.
What is the energy check?
This government assistance is used to pay energy bills for the lowest-income households. Available every year since 2018 for eligible households, the energy check allows you to pay all or part of your electricity or gas bills, but can also be used to finance the purchase of fuel oil and wood. In certain cases (Ehpad, social housing, etc.) it can also be used to pay energy-related charges included in rent.
Who is eligible?
More than 5.5 million households can receive this government assistance, subject to income conditions. It is granted to households whose reference tax income per consumption unit (CU) is less than 11,000 euros. This refers to the number of people in the household: one adult is one unit, a second adult is 0.5, and the other people are 0.3 each.
This means that a couple with 2 children represents 2.1 consumption units for example and can benefit from the energy check if their reference tax income for the year 2023 is less than 23,100 euros.
What are the steps to take to obtain it?
This year, a majority of households will be exempt from any procedure: thanks to the cross-checking of tax data and that of energy suppliers, 3.8 million households will automatically receive their help. They were normally informed by email and SMS of their eligibility.
If you are not one of the beneficiaries but think you are eligible, you can check your situation using the simulator offered by chequeenergie.gouv.fr. You can then make a request online or by mail, you have until February 28, 2026 to do so. The sooner you submit your application, the sooner you will receive your assistance. The administration specifies that requests submitted at the beginning of November should allow the check to be sent as early as November 19.
How much can you receive if you are a beneficiary?
The amount of the energy check is between 48 and 277 euros. The exact amount you receive then depends on the number of consumption units in your household and your income. A couple with two children who receive between 7,850 and 11,000 euros per unit receives, for example, 76 euros, when a single person with the same income receives 48 euros.
For people whose income is less than 5,700 euros per UC, a single person can benefit from 194 euros, while a family of 4 people benefits from the maximum amount of 277 euros.
When will you receive it?
Please note, not all households are in the same boat. The date the energy check is automatically sent by the administration depends on your department and will be spread out throughout the month of November. Ile-de-France residents (except Seine-Saint-Denis) will, for example, have to wait until the week of November 24, when residents of Nord and Pas-de-Calais will receive the news in their mailbox from November 3. To find out when the sending will take place for your department, you can refer to our simulator.
Four sending waves are set: November 3 to 7, November 10 to 14, November 17 to 21 and November 24 to 28. Upon receipt, you can then send the check to your energy supplier who will deduct the amount received from your bill. An e-Energy Check service available since this year also allows you to receive help electronically, on your online space.