Between the European elections (and the deadline which is fast approaching to register on the lists), the increase in the price of medical consultations, gas, the financing of the Personal Training Account, or even an app for declaring your taxes, many changes await the French this month of May.
Last deadline to go to the polls
To be able to vote in the European elections, you will obviously have to be registered on the electoral lists. For those who are not, it is still possible to complete the process online until Wednesday, May 1, at the latest. At the town hall, it is possible to register until Friday May 3. And then, all you have to do is “block your Sunday June 9” to vote, reminds the Ministry of the Interior.
Medical consultations will increase to two euros at the doctor’s office
From May 15, the remaining cost for patients will increase from 1 to 2 euros for medical consultations. Faced with the deterioration of Social Security accounts, the government decided in January to make patients pay a little more, by increasing the portion not reimbursed by Health Insurance and supplementary health insurance, firstly on medicines (1 euro, not reimbursed since March 31) and then on radiology and biology consultations and examinations. Minors and pregnant women are not affected.
An application to declare your taxes
For the first time, the French can, for “simple situations”, complete their 2023 income tax return on smartphones and tablets via the tax application. Furthermore, the income tax scale has been increased by 4.8% for 2023, after already 5.4% the previous year, a measure wanted by the government to protect the French against inflation. The declaration campaign runs until June 6 for certain departments
A slight increase in the price of gas
The Energy Regulatory Commission publishes a “reference price for the sale of natural gas” to help residential consumers compare offers, as it has done every month since the disappearance of regulated prices in June 2023. For May 2024, in the GRDF zone, it amounts to 102.94 euros including tax for the annual subscription and 0.11 euro/kWh on average for cooking/hot water, and 257.18 euros for the subscription and 0.089 euro/kWh for heating. Compared to April, the benchmark price/MWh is up slightly, but it is down compared to June 2023.
MaPrimeRénov backpedal
From May 15, it will once again become possible to request MaPrimeRénov’ energy renovation assistance for simple work such as changing a window or insulating a roof. It will no longer be obligatory to associate them with a change of heating. Owners will no longer be required to carry out an energy performance diagnosis (EPD) to qualify for aid. The government began in January to refocus MaPrimeRénov on major, more efficient renovations, but postponed this measure until January 1, 2025 under pressure from building professionals.
100 euros to train
According to a draft decree, which must come into force on May 1, the user of a personal training account (CPF) will be obliged to pay the lump sum of 100 euros to benefit from training. This amount must be revalued each year. Job seekers should be exempt.
Professional contracts (but without bonus)
In accordance with a decree published in the Official Journal on Sunday, hiring assistance for work-study students on professionalization contracts is canceled from May 1 to reduce public finances. Until the end of the year, the one-off aid of 6,000 euros will therefore be reserved for the recruitment of apprentices in initial training. This measure is “not a good idea”, protested the SME confederation.