A boost could be paid during the year to 12 million French people, under certain conditions.

Attention, new rule! In the realm of aid, checks and compensation of all kinds, a system will be renewed in 2024 for a large proportion of French workers. But the conditions for obtaining it will change from January 1 and the cash flow will not be automatic.

A new fuel check – which must officially be called “fuel allowance” – can once again be paid next year to employees who have to use their personal vehicle to get to their place of work. This aid granted by the State was put in place at the beginning of 2023 so that the households most in difficulty could cushion, a little, the shock of rising prices at the pump.

In 2024, 100 euros can again be allocated per person, but the criteria to be met to benefit from it are changing. If the good news is that more French people will be eligible compared to 2023, the bad news is that the system will only be activated in a certain case.

Thus, beneficiaries of this compensation will only be able to request it if fuel prices are, on average in France, around 2 euros per liter. Last year, the aid came into being when petrol and diesel were at 1.95 euros per litre. Currently, prices range between 1.75 and 1.90 euros per liter, depending on the fuel. There is therefore no question of reinstating the compensation yet.

If, during the year, the fuel check were to be distributed again due to an increase in fuel prices, nearly 12 million French people could qualify for it. The maximum income level to receive this aid has been revised upwards. All employees receiving up to 1,600 euros net per month will be eligible for this compensation. Last year, you couldn’t earn more than 1,380 euros net. From now on, 60% of workers will be able to touch it.

A wider deployment which will not, however, result in automatic payment. If the check were to be issued during the year, people who are entitled to it will have to contact the General Directorate of Public Finances (DGFiP) to receive it. This had put off many beneficiaries: less than 5 million French people out of the 10 million eligible received aid in 2023.