Like every new month, the first day of February is accompanied by several changes that will have repercussions on the daily life of the French people as well as on their wallet.
From this Wednesday, it will be necessary, for example, to face an increase in the price of motorways but, also, taxi and VTC races.
The Parisian takes stock.
Unemployment insurance reform
The decree was published at the end of last week, in the Official Journal, and if it could go unnoticed, it will have an impact for many French people.
All job seekers who open rights from February 1 will see the duration of their compensation reduced by 25%, as provided for by the unemployment insurance reform.
Concretely, an unemployed person who would have been entitled to 12 months of compensation under the current system will only be entitled to nine months.
A minimum floor of six months will be preserved.
For job seekers who will see their benefit period reduced, an "end of rights supplement" (an extension of the period) is provided for in the event of a deterioration in the labor market, if the unemployment rate exceeds 9% or if it increases by 0.8 point or more over a quarter.
More expensive tolls
As every year, the toll rates of the main motorway networks will increase from this Wednesday.
But this time, the increase, estimated at 4.75% on average, is much stronger than in previous years (+ 2% in 2022, + 0.4 in 2021, + 0.8% in 2020, + 1.9 % in 2019).
It remains, however, still lower than inflation.
This annual increase, provided for in the contracts of the various concessionaires according to a calculation which takes into account a share of inflation and possible work, will be accompanied by commercial measures at several motorway companies.
Electric vehicles will thus benefit from a 5% reduction for one year, on all their journeys, on the Sanef/SAPN and APRR/AREA networks.
Increase in the regulated electricity tariff
The freeze on the regulated electricity tariff ends on February 1 for nearly 23 million subscribers, including 1.45 million small professionals.
Read alsoElectricity: why are prices rising so much for professionals and not for individuals?
However, the State continues to apply a tariff shield until June 30 - a date which may be extended by decree until December 31.
Consumers will therefore see an average increase of 15%.
According to the Energy Regulation Commission, it would have been 56.7% including tax without protective measures.
The price of taxis and VTC increases
Taxi fares will increase by a maximum of 4% on February 1, but the minimum amount for a trip remains set at 7.30 euros.
On the VTC side, on the other hand, drivers will have a guaranteed minimum amount of 7.65 euros per trip, which will increase the price of the smallest trip to around 10.20 euros for the passenger on an application like Uber, including commissions.
Big relaxation on the Covid front
As we already mentioned this weekend, the beginning of February will be marked by a very big relaxation of measures related to the fight against Covid-19.
Fallen into disuse against a background of falling cases, “systematic isolation” of positive cases and “carrying out a test” after two days for their contacts will no longer be required.
🔴 Big relief from #Covid19 rules from February 1st:
• end of isolation supposed to be mandatory in the event of a positive test
• end of the test required if you are in contact and asymptomatic
It will simply be "recommended".
(Ministry of Health announcements)
1/n pic.twitter.com/ay2ZswByAY
— Nicolas Berrod (@nicolasberrod) January 28, 2023
In addition, exceptional work stoppages – without a waiting day for people who tested positive for Covid-19 – which had been put in place “in order to limit the spread of the epidemic”, will no longer be possible.
And the follow-up of “contact cases”, via the “Covid contact” service managed by Health Insurance, will cease definitively.
The booklet A and the LDD go to 3%
The interest rates for the Livret A and the Livret de développement durable et solidaire (LDD) increase to 3%, against 2% currently, from 1 February.
This level has not been seen since 2009, but it still remains well below inflation.
As for the rate of the Popular Savings Book (LEP), reserved for people with modest incomes (maximum 21,393 euros per year for a single person), it goes from 4.6% to 6.1%.
