ENERGY CHECK. Total has decided to set up two forms of aid for gas and gasoline to help its poor customers in the face of rising energy prices. Who is concerned ? We take stock of Linternaute.com.
[Mis à jour le 24 février 2022 à 08h49] 200,000. This is the number of Total Energies customers affected by the French group’s announcement. And not just any subscribers, those who have already obtained the energy check from the state in 2021. Aid, therefore, closely linked to the energy check. These customers said to be in a situation of “fuel poverty” will be given a gas check of 100 euros in the form of a discount, valid on their next invoice. Secondly, it is a boost on the gasoline component that the energy giant wanted to give to its subscribers. Indeed, a 5 euro discount will be applied per full 50 liters of fuel! For who ? All inhabitants of municipalities with less than 6,000 inhabitants. In other words, in the 1,150 service stations of the Total network installed in rural areas. This aid is already in force in France, since January 14 last.
Aid that follows the various government measures, already in place to fight once morest the rise in consumer prices, and in particular those of energy. Present on the BFM TV set this Wednesday, February 23, the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire wanted to defend the government’s record, which he considers to be in favor of the interests of the French, in particular concerning the tariff shield : “We have made a commitment to freeze gas prices, this commitment will be respected for individuals. This freeze runs until the summer of 2022. If it ever has to be extended because we are seeing an explosion in the price of gas, it seems essential to me to do so. No other European state has done as much as us on electricity prices and gas prices“.
The energy check is a device that helps the most precarious households to pay for their energy expenses. Its granting is conditional on the resources of the household, which must not exceed a ceiling, fixed according to the number of dependents. There is no procedure to take: the energy check is sent by post, automatically, generally in the spring. In the context of galloping inflation, the government announced the payment of an additional check for 100 euros in December. This was done between December 13 and 22. Warning: theuse of the energy check is limited to payment of energy bills. But how should you proceed once the check is in hand? You can pay online, by entering the check number and the contract references on the dedicated site. You can also complete the procedure by post, by sending your energy check to your energy supplier, enclosing a copy of your invoice. Finally, you have the option of hand-delivering it to an RGE-certified professional, who has carried out energy renovation work in your home.
The energy check is reserved for the most modest households. Its allocation depends on the resources of the household and the composition of the household: your reference tax income is taken into account. Please note that it must be less than 10,800 euros per consumption unit (CU). As an indication, a person represents a CU. The second person is counted at 0.5 and each person at 0.3 CU. To find out if you can benefit from the energy voucher, you must therefore divide your reference tax income by the number of consumption units in your household. Very concretely, this means that the reference tax income must not exceed 10,800 euros for one person alone. The site dedicated to the energy check system allows you to use a simulator, here. Just fill in your tax number. Are you struggling to find this one? Get your hands on your latest tax notice. Since the information from the tax authorities is sent directly to the service in charge of the energy check, you will know whether you can benefit from the energy check or not.
The amount of the energy check depends on the resources and composition of your household. To determine this, the government has established a scale. Here is the scale that applies in 2021, revealed by the decree of February 24, 2021 :
| RFR / UC < 5 600 euros | 5 600 euros < RFR / UC < 6 700 euros | 6 700 euros < RFR / UC < 7 700 euros | 7 700 euros < RFR / UC < 10 800 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 UC | 194 euros | 146 euros | 98 euros | 48 euros |
| 1 < UC < 2 | 240 euros | 176 euros | 113 euros | 63 euros |
| 2 or more CUs | 277 euros | 202 euros | 126 euros | 76 euros |
As you can see, a single person can receive an energy check for a maximum amount of 194 euros in 2021. Note that the energy check can be combined with the Ma Prime Rénov aid, the device that replaces the energy transition tax credit (CITE).
The payment of the energy check is made by department. The check will be sent automatically between 29 mars and the 30 avril 2022 depending on your department of residence.
To determine your eligibility for the energy check scheme, you can go to the site dedicated to the energy check. There is no simulator in the strict sense of the term. On the other hand, we invite you to enter your tax number to determine if you are eligible for the device. By entering your tax ID, the site tells you whether or not you are concerned. If this is not the case, the following message is displayed: “If you nevertheless think that your household fulfills the conditions of income and composition to benefit from the energy check, or, if you are an approved operator for housing in rental intermediation and you wish to check the eligibility of a sub-leased household for the energy check, you can nevertheless continue with the eligibility test”. You are then invited to complete a questionnaire comprising three questions. VSConsult our dedicated file to find out more:
You are sure and certain to meet the conditions of the energy check, and yet there is no trace in your mail? In this case, contact support, either via the contact form on the dedicated site, or by telephone. Remember to bring your tax notice. “To be able to benefit from the energy check, you must have declared your income to the tax services (even if your income is low or zero)”, we recall in the Frequently Asked Questions. “After having regularized your situation, you will be able to apply for an energy check. On the other hand, if you have still not declared your income for the following year, you will no longer be able to claim the benefit of the energy check”.
You don’t have to do anything. The energy check is automatically assigned. In practice, it is the tax administration that sends the list of eligible households to the Services and Payment Agency (ASP). The latter is in charge of editing and sending the check by mail. Eligible households therefore receive it automatically, without having to fill out any form. There is therefore no point in contacting the services in charge of the energy check if you are not eligible.
You are asked to report the loss or theft of your energy voucher. To do this, you have two options:
- Online at the following address: https://chequeenergie.gouv.fr/beneficiaire/cheque/declarer-perdu-vole
- Contact energy check assistance by telephone (read above) or by post, providing your contact details, tax number and the number of your energy check.
Energy check assistance can be reached on 0 805 204 805 (freephone number), Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. “In case of heavy traffic, we recommend that you call in the morning from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., or at the end of the day from 5:00 p.m.”, we warn on the energy check site.
Yes ! EDF is one of the electricity suppliers that accepts the energy check to pay your electricity expenses directly online. “No need to wait for your next bill: you can use your energy check now, it will be credited directly to your customer account”, we explain. on the official site of the energy check. To do this, simply enter the number of your energy voucher.
The energy check can be sent by post or delivered by hand to the energy supplier. In this case, you must attach a copy of a document showing your customer references and report them on the back of the check. But you can also use it directly online, on the chequeenergie.gouv.fr website.
Note that in the case of carrying out work, the check can be used directly to pay the invoice. On the other hand, please note that this work must be carried out by a professional “Recognized guarantor of the environment” (RGE). You will find the list of RGE professionals on the website renovation info service. If you are the beneficiary of the energy check, know that its expiry date is listed. It usually occurs at March 31 of the calendar year following the year of issue.
If you are eligible for the energy check and you are a gas or electricity consumer, you also benefit from the following associated advantages:
- The free opening and commissioning of a new contract in the case of a moving house,
- An 80% reduction on the billing of a technician’s trip in the event of non-payment and interruption of supply.
In the context of rising energy prices, are you evaluating the possibility of changing supplier? Consult our file without delay:
