The update was expected.
Faced with the increase in prices which hit electricity bills by 8.6 to 9.8% on average on February 1, several consumer associations denounced, this Monday,
"a real inequality of access"
to the check energy
“due to a lack of administration”.
According to the latter, a draft decree
“indicates that only beneficiaries of this system in 2023 would receive a check for the same amount in 2024, based on their reference tax income for 2021”
.
And this, while, according to the Directorate General for Energy and Climate, 1 million households access this system for the first time each year.
From which more than 5 million French people already benefit.
Guest of France 5 Monday evening, the Minister of the Economy indicated that
he had “heard”
the
“concerns”
.
“For a certain number of technical reasons, a certain number of people who have a very low level of income – students, people who work part-time, small retirees – will not receive this check.
We will remedy this difficulty
,” promised Bruno Le Maire.
Who announced the establishment of a
“complaint system”
on this mechanism.
“There will be no losers.
Everyone who is entitled to the energy check will be entitled to it.
The associations did well to react, we resolved the problem
,” reassured the boss of Bercy.
The abolition of the housing tax
The cause of this momentary lapse?
A problem with the tax services, which were unable to identify this million taxpayers because of the elimination of the housing tax.
“The energy check is paid not only based on your tax income, but also based on your accommodation.
This accommodation was identified thanks to the payment of the housing tax.
As it has been removed, it is more difficult to identify accommodation, but we will remedy this difficulty,”
repeated the boss of Bercy.