France’s Ministry of Industry and Energy has announced that the distribution of the energy voucher, aimed at supporting households facing energy insecurity, will exceptionally begin in November. Traditionally distributed in April, this delay is attributed to the late adoption of the 2025 Finance Act, according to a statement released on 28 March. The voucher, ranging from €48 to €277, is intended to partly cover electricity, gas or heating bills.
Schedule changes and extended validity
As a result of the postponement, 2025 energy vouchers will remain valid until 31 March 2027. The Ministry has urged energy suppliers to adopt a lenient and supportive stance toward potentially eligible customers, particularly previous recipients. In 2024, approximately 5.7 million vouchers were issued, including 172,000 through a special catch-up window between July and December, introduced to compensate for administrative oversights.
Technical changes and eligibility criteria
The 2024 campaign was disrupted by identification issues following the removal of the housing tax, which had previously served as part of the basis for voucher allocation. To address this, the Ministry will implement new mechanisms: allocation will now rely on the household’s electricity delivery point and declared income of the electricity contract holder. While eligibility criteria remain unchanged, the Ministry promises a simplified administrative process.
Digitalisation of the system planned for summer
A digital version of the energy voucher is scheduled for launch in summer 2025, accessible online, as part of efforts to modernise this public support scheme. The initiative aims to streamline administration and reduce unclaimed aid. According to the Ministry’s cabinet, approximately one million vouchers issued in April 2024 remained unused.
