It is a gift that was expected and it is now official that it will be at the foot of the tree.
Some 2.3 million households with modest incomes will receive exceptional end-of-year aid, known as the Christmas bonus.
"A boost for the most fragile households before the end of year holidays", explains the government.
Who can get this help?
The premium is granted to beneficiaries of active solidarity income (RSA) in November or December 2021. In this case, it is paid by the Mutualité sociale agricole (MSA) and the National Family Allowances Fund (CNAF).
Pôle Emploi also pays the Christmas bonus to beneficiaries of the specific solidarity allowance (ASS), the specific solidarity allowance for training (ASS-F), the retirement equivalent allowance (AER), the public internship remuneration ( RPS), the remuneration of the Pôle emploi training (RFPE), the help for the creation and takeover of a business (ACRE-ASS).
To benefit from this exceptional aid, your right to benefit must be in progress for the month of November or December 2021. If you are a new beneficiary, the premium will be paid in January 2022.
In any case, there is no need to contact the MSA la Caf or Pôle Emploi.
If you meet the eligibility criteria, you do not need to take any action and will automatically receive the Christmas bonus.
What is its amount?
The premium paid by Pôle Emploi is a lump sum: 152.45 euros for mainland France and the Overseas Departments and 76.22 euros for Mayotte. The assistance received by RSA recipients depends on the composition of the household. It is thus 152.45 euros for a single person but rises, for example, to 274.41 euros for 3 people in the household.
These amounts have been the same for more than ten years and have changed very little since the introduction of the Christmas bonus in 1998 by the government of Lionel Jospin.
The only exception: the boost granted in 2008, during Nicolas Sarkozy's five-year term: the aid was increased to 220 euros for a single person.
It was then a question of "compensating for the delay" on inflation which had reached 2.8% that year ... Exactly the same evolution as that of 2021 according to the latest figures from INSEE.
If the government has not decided to increase the Christmas bonus, these same households will still receive the inflation compensation of 100 euros announced by the Prime Minister on October 21.
When ?
This exceptional end-of-year bonus will be paid the week before Christmas, more precisely on December 15.
Depending on the bank, there may be a delay of one or two days before the amount appears in the beneficiary's account.
Note that this premium is not taxable and, as such, should not appear on the income tax return for next year.
