Tracy`s Survival Guide to claiming benefits in France

Transcription

Tracy’s Survival Guide
to claiming benefits in France
BY
TRACY LEONETTI
Helping you understand the CAF system in France.
What documents you need to get your file processed quickly.
FOREWORD
SO WHY A CAF SURVIVAL GUIDE?
I came to France over 22 years ago and I have had lots of personal frustrating experiences of dealing with the many
different processes in France but I think the most complicated was by far the CAF! I have spoken with many people
and everyone unanimously complains about getting access to benefits in France.
Having helped over 60 expats with their transition to France in many different ways from setting up their utilities,
registering their cars, setting up their businesses & of course just general advice and trouble-shooting many of their
paperwork problems, I wanted to provide a guideline to help you to understand the CAF better and hopefully motivate
YOU to make your claim.
The CAF is the one that provides the most stress with the people I meet, ok well maybe the Prefecture for resident
permits may beat it slightly but you get the idea!
We live in a beautiful country. The French are known for their culinary expertise, wonderful wines & the tour de
France but they are also known for their bad bureaucracy!!
If at any time you feel you need more help with this process or any of the other French administrative processes,
please don’t hesitate to contact Tracy at LBS on 06 59 04 01 51
WHAT TO EXPECT
FROM THIS
SURVIVAL GUIDE
This Survival Guide is provided to help you find your way through the different processes that the Family Benefits
Offices (Caisse d’Allocations Familiales) can help you with.
All the information provided is general nature and is subject to change. This Guide is really to offer you an outline
and to assist you through the system but only the CAF can determine your entitlements as they are affected by many
factors; your earnings, how many children you have to name but two. Please use this as its name suggests, to guide
you through the system. It doesn’t give details of every single benefit; this would mean you would need another
Survival Guide to get through it, seriously not the intention!! I have tried to keep it simple, to the point, organized
and hopefully not too serious!
The benefit rates are stated in Euros and although I have made huge efforts to ensure accuracy of information and
amounts, I bring your attention to the fact that I am only human and ultimately I can make mistakes, so do forgive
me in advance! I receive so many questions about the CAF and in particular about how long it takes to process a file.
I’m afraid I have no miracle solution to this. The old saying of ‘patience is a virtue’ is so true when dealing
with any French Administration but particularly with the CAF.
Note that all revenue tables and allocation amount are from the official CAF website
and are subject to change.
On a positive note, once your file is validated in the CAF, your payments are sent each month and you don’t have to
do anything else. I received my payments every month for over 15 years once I got through the process, so really
it was worth the effort. This guide will also provide you with some Top Tips and anecdotes based on my experience
with my customers which I hope will bring some light heartedness to the process.
If you are newcomer to France, I would suggest you read this gently before starting your application; this will help
smooth the path for the process and will answer a lot of the questions.
The first Top Tip that I will give when dealing with the CAF is:
Top Tip 1
If at first you don’t succeed, call again!
Perseverance is key when dealing with the CAF, so never give up!
The one thing I can say is that I have a 100% success rate for all files that I take on. This is due to my Top Tip above,
I just don’t give up and neither should you! So I hope this motivates you to keep picking up the phone, so go on
MAKE YOUR CLAIM NOW
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
SECTION PAGE
1.What is the CAF and where can I find it?
7
a. Overview of the CAF website
2.Can anyone apply for benefits? 12
3.Who are your dependent children?
13
4.How can I contact the CAF to find out my rights?
13
a.What is the ‘numero d’allocataire’?
b.What is a confidential code and how can I get one?
5.How does the CAF application process work?
15
6.I’m pregnant, what should I do?
19
7.What childcare options are available to me?
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8.Overview of CAF services offerings
21
9.What is the PAJE? Prestations d’accueil de jeune enfant
23
10.How do I apply for the PAJE
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a. What documents do i need
11.Family Allowances in France (Allocations Familiales) 31
12.Supplementary Benefit (Complement Familiale)
33
13.School Grants (Allocation de rentrée scolaire ARS)
34
14.Claiming housing benefits in France
35
15.If I am unhappy with a CAF decision or service, what can I do?
37
16.Tracy’s Top Tips to get your file validated faster
39
Testimonials 43
Addresses & contact numbers in 06
47
LBS Processes 53
LBS Service pack you simply choose 55
1. What is
the CAF and
where can I
find it?
The CAF stands for ‘Caisse des Allocations Familiales’ which
is the government body that helps families by offering different
services going from early childhood, crèche, halte garderies,
education, holidays, family allowances, pregnancy benefits &
housing benefits. They provide also supplementary benefits for
families on low incomes, grants for moving and handicapped
benefits.
This guide emphasizes more the family allowances for families
but I would advise any newcomer to France to call the CAF as
soon as they arrive to start ‘working their file’.
Their main website which gives lots of good information and
has the application forms is www.caf.fr
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www.lbsinfrance.com
On their welcome page there is a wealth of information, again in French. On the bottom
left hand corner, this is where you can create your account, once you have your CAF
number and confidential code. You can access their application forms and do simulations of
your rights directly on their website. We will look in a little more detail at their website
in the next section.
The CAF is found in all big towns and the smaller communes have a presence, usually
reduced times. All of their details can be found on the main page. At the end this book
there is a list of contact numbers for the 06 area.
Note that the hours can be changeable depending on their work load and often have
‘exceptional’ closing certain days; certainly that has been my experience in the 06 area.
This of course may change from region to region. Before going to the CAF always check
the website under ‘Actualities’ for up to date information or see link below:
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/actualites
Each area of France has its local number and address but for example in the 06 if you
want to send them a letter or any documents, send them to
CAF DES ALPES MARITIMES
06175 NICE CEDEX 2
Top Tip 2 – How to find them
I have found the easiest way is to find your administrative numbers (and not just for the
CAF) is via the service public website. Where you can type in any area code and get the
number you need.
http://lannuaire.service-public.fr/
For example type in CAF 06 for the Alpes Marities, CAF 75 for Paris, CAF 13 for Rhone
Alpes etc
An overview of the CAF website
The CAF website is packed with some really good information; the only problem is that
it is all in French. Even when you speak good French, it can be complicated to find your
way around the website, so you can imagine when your French skills are not quite there
yet (yes, I know, it’s on your to do list)
Tracy’s Survival Guide to claiming benefits in France
www.lbsinfrance.com
Below is a screen shot of the front page of the CAF. If you already have an account, you
can access it on the left hand side of the page under ‘Mon Compte’. You input your CAF
number and confidential code (see section 4) and you can check your file, last payments
and such like.
Under the section ‘Vies de famille’ you can find general information and advice around
the subjects of:
• Becoming a parent
• Renting accommodation
• Living with handicaps
• Poverty – getting help & solutions
• Advice for students
• Life Changes
Under ‘Les Services En Ligne’ if you click on any of these, it will take you to the simulation
section for each of the benefits for:
• Housing Benefits
• The PAJE
• The RSA
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You will see the following window and you will need to click on the left if you already have
an account with the CAF and on the right if you don’t.
If you already have an account with the CAF ie you have a CAF number and confidential
code, then this will take you to the ‘your account’ window where you can create the request
online. See below a screen shot of the ‘your account’ window. You would need to enter
your
• Postal code
• CAF account number
• Day and month of birth ie 3007
• Confidencial code
Under the section ‘s’informer sur les droits’ you can find the documents explaining the
different benefits, the conditions and how to apply centered around the 4 main areas
indicated below:
www.lbsinfrance.com
• Children’s & youth benefits
• Housing Benefits and your living environment
• Small Children
• Help in difficult situations
Visit or not Visit that is the question!
It’s an interesting one because the past few years, everyone was unhappy because of the
queues in the CAF and the total waste of time, usually because you had to continually go
back. I admit to complaining on occasion but usually when something like the following
situation took place…..
So there I was at the CAF in Nice with my customers file. I spent over an hour
patiently waiting my turn, reading my magazine. As I got to the agent, with a
big smile I plopped my documents on the counter and just started to explain the
situation when an alarm sounded. The agent quickly said that everyone had to
leave. I literally had to grab all of my documents and leave.
We all got evacuated for a (false) fire alert. I think I was probably ready to get
burnt just to get my file across the table but no….. it was just not my day… and of
course I had to go back and do the same thing the next day.
Luckily this doesn’t happen too often and since September 2014 many of the CAF offices
have put in place an appointment system to avoid the queues. Whilst this is effective,
it is now more complicated to actually get to see someone at the CAF. So now everyone
complains because they can’t actually go to the CAF! It’s true that when you have an
issue, being able to see an agent face to face is often helpful, especially if your language
skills are not quite up to speed.
With this new system of booking appointments, they have put a lot of their documents online
that you can download, complete and send to them (by registered post of course). The
difficulty is often completing the documents and the continual letters you get back from
the CAF once you have sent everything off – yes I know just how many times do they
need your birth certificate!
NOTE: You can download many of the application forms from my
website http://www.lbsinfrance.com/resources-library
The CAF can be found in most towns and they have smaller opening times for villages.
As stated earlier, there is a list at the end of the book of the local numbers and addresses.
If you prefer you can click on the link below to get a list of the CAF offices and their
contact details for the 06 area:
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil
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2. Can anyone apply for
benefits?
There are of course certain conditions that need to be met in order to benefit from the
various services of the CAF. You must be a resident of France and of course you should
be able to prove this. In addition:
• If you are a citizen of Switzerland or of a European Union or European Economic Area
member state, you must meet all legal residency requirements.
• If you are a citizen of a country other than Switzerland or the European Union and
European Economic Area member states, you must have a valid carte de séjour that
proves that you are residing legally in France.
• If your children were born in another country, you must prove that they entered France
legally.
Top Tip 3 – Get a letter
Note that you cannot receive family benefits if you are already claiming them in your home
country (logical). So if you stop receiving them in your home country, get a letter stating
this – you will need it for your child benefits application.
What are the financial criteria for benefits?
For the benefits which are revenue tested, the CAF generally works 2 years in arrears for
the financial aspect. This means the CAF will use your 2013 income to calculate your
rights for 1st January 2015 to 31st December 2015. Yes I know this seems a bit strange
as oftentimes our financial situation is completely different from year to year, but that’s
the way it works for the moment.
There are situations in which they will take a more realistic view of your financial situation
for example in the case of the death of a spouse. Check with your local CAF office for
more information. If you are experiencing a difficult financial situation, make sure you
put a letter in with your application asking them to take into account your current financial
situation.
www.lbsinfrance.com
3.Who are your dependent
children?
To claim for child benefits, you must be financially responsible for your children. This
means that you must feed, clothe and house them. They must also live in the household on
a permanent basis and trips out of the country should not exceed 3 months. The conditions
for a child to be considered as dependent are:
Up to age 6 : with no other conditions;
From ages 6 to 16 : if they meet the school registration requirements;
From ages 16 to 20 : if their net monthly earnings do not exceed a certain level
(consult www.caf.fr) for amounts as they change.
From ages 20 to 21 : if your child meets the previous earnings requirement, the
family income supplement and housing assistance benefit entitlements will continue
until their 21st birthday.
4. How can I contact the CAF
to find out my rights?
As indicated in the previous chapter, the CAF now has an appointment system so contacting
them is either via letter or telephone, for the most part. If you are calling them for the
first time ie you have no file with them, then you will need to go via the ‘non-allocataire’
call system.
Contacting the CAF by Phone
Unfortunately if your French is limited this can be quite frustrating and you can go round
in circles. If you don’t have a CAF number (numéro allocataire) or confidential code
(code confidential) this becomes harder.
What is a ‘Numéro d’Allocataire’?
This is your 7 digit CAF number and everyone has their own number which should be
kept safe. The CAF will send you your ‘numero d’allocataire’ by post. This number is
necessary for all your communications with the CAF, either my phone or post and to
access to your online ‘your account’ section.
What is a ‘Code Confidentiel’ and how do I get one?
If you want to get updates on your file and easy access to the CAF via telephone and online
you will need your confidential code. Unfortunately in most cases, you don’t receive a
confidential code until your CAF file is validated and that can some time depending on
what benefit you are applying for. In the meantime you will need to go through the CAF
call centre system as a ‘non-allocataire’ until you get this code.
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A recent customer of mine just could not get through to speak with anyone
and after numerous attempts on pressing different options she miraculously got
through, only to have the person hang up on her when the operator at the CAF
couldn’t understand her French – now that was frustrating! I’m glad to say we
sorted her file out quickly afterwards.
So your first objective when you contact the CAF, is to get your CAF number and
confidential code!
Getting through the call centre system without a CAF number or code
In the 06 area, you press, 2 (informations générales), then 2 (non-allocataire) again, 1,
then 0. But this could change!! Listen for ‘non-allocataire’ and go for this option.
I do find that once you get someone on the phone, they can be very helpful especially if
you talk with a smile in your voice!
If you already have a ‘numero allocataire’ (see above), but don’t have the ‘code
confidentiel’ then you can either follow the same system above or for some regions you
can type in any 4 digit number and it goes through! Yes, this has happened for me but
not in the 06 area.
Contacting the CAF by post
This is the most secure way of ensuring your file gets dealt with. Every CERFA document
you complete and every document you need to supply will need to be sent by post.
Always send them by registered post ‘Lettre Recommandé avec avis de reception’. Or at
the very least by ‘lettre suivi’ so that you can track your correspondence.
You can send all correspondence for the 06 area to :
CAF DES ALPES MARITIMES
06175 NICE CEDEX 2
Top Tip 4 – Declare on line
Each year you will need to provide your income for the previous year so that the CAF can
calculate your rights. If you already have an account with them, you can do this online to
save time. Just go under ‘mon compte’ on the front page of the CAF – go to section 1.
www.lbsinfrance.com
5. How does the CAF
application process work?
Well this is always a bit of a grey area for most people. It can seem that the process is
never ending and one continually receives letters from the CAF asking for more information.
This is unfortunately quite true simply because if you are new to them they have to get
all the information about you and your family before any benefits will be given. Logical
really!
When you have sent all the documents and you have an ‘excellent’ file, they can make
mistakes and you receive the request for the same document again. Just take a deep
breath and send it again with a letter of course!
When making a first request for a benefit (of any sort) you can either call them or ask
them to send you the appropriate documents. My experience is often the documents
go missing. This can be a simple misunderstanding of spelling your address over the
phone for non-French speaking people. Mixing the G with J is a common mistake and
numbers, well that’s another story.
Alternatively, you can go online and download the pdf document that you need to complete
and send it to the CAF. You would need to go under the ‘vous n’etes pas allocataire’
section (see screen shot below).
Ideally, you can also do a simulation, saves you all the hassle and time wasting of applying
if you wouldn’t be entitled to it anyway!
Here is a link to the page:
http://www.caf.fr/aides-et-services/les-services-en-ligne/estimer-vos-droits
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So ultimately you download the document, complete it and send it to the CAF with all
the documents they request. We will look at all the documents you will need to provide
later in section 10.
When the CAF receives a document from you, they scan it and then the agent has to
validate it. However there is a delay between the time they receive the documents, scan
the documents and then process or validate the documents. THIS is what makes it so
frustrating. If you send a document to them at the beginning of February, the chances
are it is mid-March before you get any response. This process repeats itself until you
have sent them everything.
The CAF needs to have all the documents to validate the file. Then they will send you
your confidential code and the notification of your rights. For child benefits you often
receive the allocation with any back pay before you get a letter notifying you of your
rights.
Then they create your ‘fiche d’etat civile’ which basically means, they will create you and
your family’s birth records in the system. This ultimately results in them asking you once
again for your birth certificates and that of your dependents. Don’t fight it, just do it!
NOTE: If you send a copy of your original birth certificate (along with
its translation) but it’s not a very clear copy, they will ask for it again!
Always ensure to get a correct translation of your birth certificate ie from an official
translator ‘assermenté’. You can get a list from your local mairie.
Top Tip 5 – Apply the 3-4 week rule
Basically, whenever you send or hand in a supplementary piece of information to the
CAF. They will practically always tell you it will be dealt with in 3-4 weeks and it is usually the
case (if not longer depending on backlog). So don’t frustrate yourself by calling each week,
wait until the third week and then chase but don’t let it drop. Don’t forget to include a copy
of the letter they have sent to you in your reply.
My advice is to ensure that your file is water tight before you send it. You will ultimately
save months of frustration and confusing letters. This is always the aim of LBS.
www.lbsinfrance.com
What benefits can I apply for?
There are many benefits you can apply for. Below is also a list of some of the main
downloads links you can get from the CAF website. If the links change, you can get to
them from the main CAF webpage www.caf.fr
As stated before, for many of these benefits, there is the possibility to simulate your
situation. This avoids you going through the whole process only to be refused. So take
the opportunity to simulate your situation beforehand, where possible.
The different pdfs to download
or do a simulation of your rights
English Translation
1.Aide au logement
1.Housing assistance
2.Prestation d’accueil du jeune enfant
2.Paje (young children allowances)
3.Allocations familiales
3.Family allowances
4.Allocation de soutien familial
4.Family support allowance
5.Aide au recouvrement des pensions
5.Help to collect unpaid child support
alimentaires impayées
6.Revenu de solidarité active (Rsa)
6.Supplementary Benefits for low income (Rsa)
7.Allocation de soutien familial et Rsa
7.Family support allowance and Rsa
8.Allocation aux adultes handicapés
8.Allowance for disabled adults
9.Allocation d’éducation de l’enfant handicapé 9.Education Allowance for disabled children
10.Allocation journalière de présence parentale 10.Daily allocations for parental presence
11.Prime de déménagement
11.Relocation allowance
12.Prêt à l’amélioration de l’habitat
12.Home Improvement loan
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6. I’m
pregnant,
what should
I do?
When pregnant in France, whether it’s your first child or not,
you should always declare the ‘new arrival’ with the CAF. The
additional costs of a new arrival in the family can be expensive
and the CAF does work closely to ensure that you get financial
help.
Your gynecologist or midwife should provide you with a ‘declaration
de grossesse’ which is a document that needs to be completed
and returned to your local CPAM (your local sickness benefits
office) and your local CAF office. This should be done within
the first 14 weeks of pregnancy. The document is called
‘Premier examen prénatal’.
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If you already have a CAF number and confidential code, you can make this declaration
online at www.caf.fr under ‘mon compte’ (see section 1).
If you meet the revenue conditions, you will receive the birth grant of 923,08 euros. See
under section 9.1 below for more details.
After the birth of your baby, send a simple letter to the CAF with a copy of the baby’s birth
certificate to confirm the new arrival.
7. What childcare options
are available to me?
The next step is to think about child care if you are thinking of going back into the workforce.
Before deciding on the choice of looking after your children a good link to look at would
be: http://www.mon-enfant.fr/web/guest sorry it´s in French!!!
There are a few different types of child care possibilities in France however finding places
is not always easy. Yes, I have been there with my two children so I do understand. Here
are a few of the type of facilities
Une Assistante Maternelle: This is a childminder who is authorized to look after
your children in their home. You can also employ a registered child minder in your own
home ‘Assistance Maternelle Agrée’.
This is child-minding in groups ie in creches and
halte-garderies. These are also government authorized groups.
Un Accueil collectif:
A Crèche or kindergarten is generally used by working parents and the children
are cared for usually full time or at least 3 full days a week. Places can be complicated
to obtain and often priority is given to working parents.
The Halte Garderie is an excellent system in that children can go part time, either
mornings or afternoons.
www.lbsinfrance.com
The costs of the crèche are based on your earnings and are regulated by the CAF. If you
want to have access to financial support with the crèche, you need to be registered with
the CAF before applying for a place.
Most people consider the child care facilities in France to be good. The most difficult
aspect is finding a place in a crèche or finding a child minder. Of course, at the same
time (as if you don’t have enough to think about) you should be thinking of starting the
process with the CAF for the PAJE as this does take quite some time. You have been
warned! We cover the PAJE under section 9.
Top Tip 6 – Don’t wait
If you are new to France, register with the CAF before you start looking for child care
facilities or at the very least at the same time.
8. Overview of the CAF
Service Offerings
The CAF’s mission is to assist families throughout various aspects of their family life by
providing financial assistance towards children’s education and their leisure activities.
However, their explanations of service offerings are not always understood completely,
even when one speaks good French!
Ok, so let’s get down to the nitty gritty! As shown previously, on the main page of the
CAF you will find a list of all the different services they provide. Here is a list of the main
services that this guide will be covering and all the application forms can be found online
at www.caf.fr or click on the appropriate link under section 5.
• Services for young children (PAJE)
• Family Allowance (Allocations Familiales)
• School Grants (Allocation de rentrés scolaire)
• Housing Benefits (Allocation logement)
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9. What is
the PAJE?
Prestations
d’accueil
de jeune
enfant
What is the PAJE, has anyone really understood?
It was developed in 2004 and the PAJE aims to simplify the
lives of its receivers. Now I know that doesn’t seem to be the
case when you try to understand what your rights are. It’s abit of
a maze! But there really are lots of different benefits available to
families and once you are in the system it is a lot easier.
The idea of the PAJE is to offer a few different financial benefits
to help parents with looking after their children either whilst they
go to work or help them financially if they have given up work to
care for their children at home.
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So who can apply for PAJE?
If your child or children are being taken care of by a registered child minder at home or if
you are using a collective child minding facility, you can apply for the PAJE.
What is the PAJEMPLOI
The PAJEMPLOI is the URSAFF. This is the government agency that deals with the contract
& social charges for you and your employee.
If you employ a registered childminder and then request the Cmg benefit via the CAF,
you and your employee will automatically be registered with the PAJEMPLOI. They will
issue you with your employer number so that you can declare the monthly salary you
have paid to your employee.
How can I contact them?
You can call them on 0 820 00 7253 between 9.00am and 5.00pm from Monday to
Friday.
Their address is:
Centre national Pajemploi
43013 Le Puy-en-Velay Cedex
Their website is very good and gives lots of information about the choices you have for
child care and the process: http://www.pajemploi.urssaf.fr/portail/accueil.html
You can also simulate how much you will get towards the social charges
http://www.pajemploi.urssaf.fr/portail/accueil/simulateurs.html
NOTE: You don’t need to apply to the PAJEMPLOI, you make your
choice of child minding request via the CAF and when your file is
validated the CAF will inform the PAJEMPLOI.
So just what does the PAJE consist of? Well it has 4 different elements that are going
to look at below in more detail. Some of the benefits you will receive will be combined.
1. A birth or adoption grant
2. The basic Allowance
3. A Supplement for free choice of type of child care (Cmg)
4. A supplement for free choice of working time (CLCA)*
• The CLCA is being replaced progressively by the PreParE
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1.The pre-birth payment (or adoption) Grant: Paid at the end of the 7th
month of pregnancy to help with the initial expenses. This amounts to 923,08 for one
child, given in one payment.
The adoption grant is 1,846,15 euros with the same earning conditions as listed below
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
• You must send your pregnancy report to the CPAM (local sickness benefits office) and
the CAF within 14 weeks.
• Or you must have adopted a child under the age of 20.
• Your financial means must not exceed the 2013 ceilings used for 2015 allocations – see
table below:
Pre-birth Grant & Adoption earning conditions
2013 income for allocation
1st January 2015 – 31st December 2015
Number of children at home Couple with one income Single parent or couple with 2 incomes
1
35,779 €
45,393 €
2
42,172 €
51,836 €
3
48,615 €
58,279 €
For each child +
6,443 €
6,443 €
2. The basic allowance: This benefit is to help towards the basic maintenance of
your child or children. It is means-tested and paid every month for 3 years following the
arrival of the child.
• Your child must be under 3 years old.
• You must have adopted a child aged under 20.
• Your 2013 income must not exceed the applicable ceiling (see above)
The amount allocated depends on your resources (the full amount is 184.62). It is paid
up to the month preceding the child’s third birthday.
This basic allowance can be combined with your Family Allowance (allocations familiales)
if you have more than one child. See section 11 for more details.
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Earnings limit for Basic Allowance (Allocation de Base)
2013 income for allocation
1st January 2015 – 31st December 2015
FULL AMOUNT ALLOCATED OF 184,62
PARTIAL AMOUNT ALLOCATED OF 92.31
NUMBER OF CHILDREN COUPLE WITH
COUPLE WITH
SINGLE PARENT OR
´AT HOME
ONE INCOME COUPLE WITH 2 INCOME ONE INCOME
1
2
3
FOR EACH CHILD +
29 907 €
35 300 €
40 693 €
5 393 €
37 996 €
43 389 €
48 782 €
5 393 €
35,779 €
42,172 €
48,615 €
6,443 €
SINGLE PARENT OR COUPLE
WITH 2 INCOMES
45,393 €
51,836 €
58,279 €
6,443 €
3. The CMG Service (complement de libre choix de mode de garde) is the supplement
for the free choice of child care and helps parents to finance registered child minders,
child care facilities (a crèche), privately registered childcare facilities ie the facility or
carer must be accredited by the Prefecture or the Conseil Generale. The link to all the
information can be found here:
http://www.caf.fr/aides-et-services/s-informer-sur-les-aides/petite-enfance/le-complementde-libre-choix-du-mode-de-garde
NOTE: Whatever option you use ie home child minder or communal
crèche, you will be responsible for at least 15% of your child care
costs.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR CMG
• You meet the general conditions for benefits as stipulated in section 2.
• You must have a professional activity
• You employ an assistante maternelle that is authorized by the government protection
agency. Her gross salary should not be more than 48,05 per day and per child.
• If you employ an assistante maternelle at home or a government authorised association
or company, the child or children must be looked after for more than 16 hours
per month.
• Your 2013 income must not exceed the applicable ceiling – see table below.
Table for earnings limit 2013 for benefits paid in 2015 for Cmg
REVENUE LIMITS FOR ALLOCATION
DEPENDANT CHILDREN
2013 INCOME CEILINGS AND MAXIMUM FINANCIAL MEANS
BELOW
NOT EXCEEDING
IN EXCESS OF
1 CHILD
20 427 €
45 393 €
45 393 €
2 CHILDREN
23 326€
51 836 €
51 836 €
3 CHILDREN
26 226 €
58 279 €
58 279 €
+
+ 2 899€
+ 6 443 €
+ 6 443 €
www.lbsinfrance.com
There are two options for financial support with the Cmg service. Either you are using a
registered child minder at home or your child will be accepted in a registered collective
child minding facilitiy. We will look at both here.
If you employ a registered child minder at home
How much help will I receive to help pay the social charges (cotisations
sociales)?
If your child or children are under the age of 6, the CAF pays a portion of the cost of the
child minder and a portion of the social charges (cotisations sociales). The allocation
depends on your revenues so it may be a partial payment. An idea of the payments is:
• 100% if you employ a registered childminder;
• 50% if you employ an in-home childcare provider, up to 445 € per month for children
aged under 3 and up to 223 € per month for children ages 3 to 6
How much will the CAF pay me towards the salary costs if I employ my
assistant maternelle at home?
PROCESS FOR THE CMG for home child minders
IF YOU ARE THE DIRECT EMPLOYER
YOUR CHILDS AGE
MAXIMUM MONTHLY AMOUNTS PAID BY THE CAF, if you pay
your employee directly ie per family
UNDER 3
460 93 €
290 65 €
174 37 €
FROM 3 - 6
230 47 €
145 34 €
87 19 €
For the Cmg, if you employ an assistant maternelle in the home, ensure you follow the
steps below:
1. Use an employment contract, see some examples at the URSAFF website:
http://www.pajemploi.urssaf.fr/portail/accueil.html
2. Ensure that your child minder has the correct accreditation
3. Once the CAF has validated your Cmg request, the PAJEMPLOI sends you your employer
number so that you can declare their salary each month
4. Declare your employees salary each month at this website
http://www.pajemploi.urssaf.fr/pajewebinfo/cms/sites/pajewebinfo/accueil.html
5. The Pajemploi will calculate the social contributions aspect and notify you of which portion
is to be covered by you.
6. The CAF will then calculate your supplement.
7. The PAJEMPLOI sends the employee the payslip.
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Top Tip 7 – Apply for all your benefits at once
Apply to the CAF for Cmg at the same time as you find your child minder – the Cmg
process will only be validated by the CAF once your file is completed and this can take a
while. Your money will be backdated.
If you use a private facility or creche?
The proportion of your expenses paid directly to the organization will depend on the age
of your children and your earnings, see the table above.
One important point to note about the PAJE is that in order to benefit from help with
different services ie helping with the charges for a registered child minder; your file
needs to be validated by the CAF. Not having these documents will hold your file up and
ultimately your payments.
How much will the CAF pay me towards the costs if I use the services
of a private facility or crèche?
IF YOU USE A CRECHE OR PRIVATE FACILITY
YOUR CHILDS AGE
MAXIMUM MONTHLY AMOUNTS PAID OUT OF YOUR TOTAL
BILLED EXPENSES
UNDER 3
693,34 €
FROM 3 - 6
348 75 €
581 25 €
465 01 €
290 63 €
232 51 €
These amounts can change if you are receiving other benefits. Also they can be increased
for night time care (extra 10%). If you are receiving adult handicapped benefits (+30%)
4. A supplement for free choice of working time (CLCA) or the PreParE:
This is designed for families whereby one parent ceases or significantly reduces their
professional activity to take care of the new arrival.
• Your child is under 3 years old;
• You have adopted a child under 20 years old;
• You have stopped working or cut back to part time work.
• If you are working part-time and are a traveling sales representative (VRP) or
self-employed status, you will need to meet an income criteria;
• There are certain pension requirements that need to be met. Ensure you consult
your local CAF office for these.
For the first born child, the allowance is limited to 6 months, for the second child and
onwards, it can be paid until the month preceding the 3rd birthday. Amounts are from
145,63 € to 390,52 € depending on the amount of time worked ie part- time or full time).
It also depends on whether you are receiving the basic allowance or not.
www.lbsinfrance.com
NOTE: This service is currently being changed although the amounts
should stay the same, the duration of the benefit are being modified.
5. The COLCA is an optional allowance for a free choice of working activity and is
for parents with 3 children or more. The amount is higher than the CLCA (detailed
above). However it stops in the month proceeding the first birthday of the child.
• You must have stopped working
• You must have 3 children or more
• If you choose to have the COLCA, you cannot change back to the CLCA
As stated, the amounts for the COLCA are higher than the CLCA (from 634,53 to 819,14)
and depend also on if you are receiving the basic allowance.
NOTE: The rules for the length of the award for the COLCA and CLCA
differ for adoption, so do consult your local CAF for more information.
10. How do I apply for the
PAJE?
Whether you already have a CAF number ‘numero d’allocataire’ or not, you can do a
simulation of your rights and / or download the appropriate PDF document.
Do a simulation here:
Application forms here:
http://www.lbsinfrance.com/resources-library
Once you have completed the document, gathered all the necessary paperwork, you
should send your file to the appropriate CAF office. I would suggest that you send any
documents by registered post ‘lettre recommandé with ‘avis de reception’.
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This process is simpler and quicker if you already have a CAF number and are receiving
family allowance (allocations familiales).
What documents do I need?
If you are new to the CAF, this is where you really need to send everything. They will
establish all of your benefit entitlements at the same time and until they have validated
you in the system, they will not give you the Cmg.
If you are already claiming family benefits, then this is simpler and you won’t need to
send all the documents below.
Ressources de l’année 2013
10397*17
Déclarez SANS LES CENTIMES tous les revenus perçus en France, hors de France ou versés par une organisation
internationale (articles R. 532-3, R. 831-6 et D. 542-10 du code de la Sécurité sociale et R. 351-5 du code de la Construction et de l’habitation).
Numéro d’allocataire : ________________________________
N° de Sécurité sociale : ___________________________
(de l’allocataire)
1
PERSONNES DONT LES RESSOURCES
Nom
Nom, prénom : ________________________________________
Adresse : _____________________________________________
VOTRE CONJOINT,
CONCUBIN OU PACSÉ
VOUS
SONT À DÉCLARER
ENFANT OU AUTRE PERSONNE
______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
______________________________ ________________________ ______________________________
______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________
Prénom
Date de naissance
ABSENCE DE RESSOURCES EN 2013
cochez la case
2
SALAIRES
3
INDEMNITÉS JOURNALIÈRES D’ACCIDENT
DU TRAVAIL OU DE MALADIE
PROFESSIONNELLE (fraction non imposable)
• traitements, salaires, heures supplémentaires
et indemnités journalières de Sécurité sociale
(maladie, maternité, paternité, fraction
imposable d’accident du travail ou de maladie
professionnelle)
• frais réels déductibles
4
ALLOCATIONS DE CHÔMAGE
5
REVENUS DES NON SALARIÉS
(BIC - BNC - BA - MICRO BIC...)
ET PRÉRETRAITES
• adhérent d’un centre de gestion
agréé, ou “régime micro” ou autoentrepreneur
• non adhérent d’un centre de gestion
agréé
• forfait non fixé : cochez la case
6
DÉFICITS DE L’ANNÉE 2013
7
RETRAITES, PENSIONS ET RENTES
• professionnels
• fonciers
IMPOSABLES (les Allocations supplémentaires
vieillesse ou invalidité et l’Allocation de solidarité
aux personnes âgées ne sont pas à déclarer)
8 PENSIONS ALIMENTAIRES REÇUES
9
AUTRES REVENUS
• revenus fonciers
• contrat d’épargne-handicap
• autres
10
CHARGES DÉDUCTIBLES
• pensions alimentaires versées
• CSG déductible sur les revenus
du patrimoine
• épargne retraite et cotisations
volontaires de Sécurité sociale
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
€
Je certifie sur l'honneur l’exactitude de cette déclaration. Je prends connaissance que ma Caisse peut vérifier les montants déclarés. Je m’engage à signaler immédiatement
à ma Caisse tout changement intervenant dans ma situation.
Signature obligatoire
Le :
La Caf vérifie l’exactitude des déclarations (Article L. 114-19 du code de la Sécurité sociale). La loi punit quiconque se rend coupable de fraude ou de fausse déclaration (Articles
L. 114-9 - dépôt de plainte de la Caisse pouvant aboutir à : travail d’intérêt général, amende ou peine de prison, L. 114-17 du code de la Sécurité sociale - prononcé de pénalités -,
articles 313-1 à 313-3, 441-1 et 441-6 du code Pénal).
La loi 78-17 du 06/01/1978 modifiée relative à l’informatique, aux fichiers et aux libertés s’applique aux réponses faites sur ce formulaire. Elle garantit un droit d’accès et de
rectification pour les données vous concernant auprès de l’organisme qui a traité votre demande.
S 7123 i
Emplacement réservé
DR
Page 1/1
IDX P 3201015 Z
• Completed Cerfa form 10397*17
• Completed Cerfa form 12323*02
• Passport for all members of the family
• Birth certificates for all members of the family
• Translation of birth certificate of all members of family (if not French) by a
registered translator
• Your Income Tax returns in France or country of origin
• Proof of address in France (less than 3 months)
• If you have other children in school, then a certificate of scolarity for each child
• Your work contract or business K-bis
• Proof of health care in France
• This can be private insurance
• From the RSI / URSAFF for business owners
• From the CPAM for salaried employees
• If you are non-european, your copy of valid carte de sejour
• Marriage certificate and translation
• Bank RIB
• A letter saying that you are not receiving family benefits from your contry of origin
Send everything with the application form and a little letter asking for them to deal with
your file (this is not compulsory but LBS does this each time).
Then wait 4 weeks and call them! They will no doubt tell you that the file is being dealt
with and you will need to call back again in 3 weeks.
Top Tip 8 – Parental Affiliation
If you don’t have a birth certificate with your parents name on, you will have difficulty
getting access to benefits. Ask for a duplicate in your home country if this is the case.
Ensure the copy of your original birth certificate is a good one, I have known this be a
reason for a file being held up.
www.lbsinfrance.com
31
11. Family Allowances
In France
(Allocations Familiales)
This benefit is automatically allocated from your second child if you are registered with
the CAF and you have sent off your declaration of pregnancy to them before the 14 week
deadline. Child benefit or family allowance is currently not means tested which gives
access to families who have at least 2 children under the age of 20 years old. The
payments increase when a child reaches 11 years old and then again when the child
reaches 16 years old.
What documents will be needed for these benefits?
If you are applying for the first time for the PAJE or Allocations Familiales, you will need
to have your file validated by the CAF. So even if you are not applying for Family Allowances,
they will still ask you for all of these documents. This is where many mistakes are made
as people tend to only send in what is asked on the application form (logic I know) but
they always need more.
Déclaration de situation
pour les prestations familiales
et les aides au logement
11423*06
Livres V et VIII du code de la Sécurité sociale
Livre III du code de la construction et de l’habitation
Une seule déclaration de situation suffit, même pour plusieurs demandes de prestations.
Répondez à toutes les questions qui vous concernent, joignez toutes les pièces justificatives demandées, n’oubliez pas de dater et
signer votre déclaration de situation.
Conjoint(e), concubin(e) ou pacsé(e)
Allocataire
Personne qui demande les prestations familiales et qui est responsable du dossier
Monsieur
I would advise you send the same documents as listed above under Section 10 before you send off any application. You will save lots of time energy later on when they
send you the continuous letters (every 4-5 weeks) asking for more information.
Whats the process & how long will it take?
The process for the family allowances (apart from the 4 page document to complete) is
straight forward. You complete the appropriate application form (Cerfa 11423*06) and
collate all of the above documents and then send them (by registered post) to your local
CAF office.
Monsieur
Madame
Nom de famille (de naissance) : ___________________________
Nom d’usage : _____________________________________________
(facultatif et s’il y a lieu)
Prénoms (dans l’ordre de l’état civil) : ________________________
___________________________________________________
Prénoms (dans l’ordre de l’état civil):
___________________________________________________
Date de naissance :
Date de naissance :
Lieu de naissance : ville ___________________ département
Ou pays en cas de naissance à l’étranger : _________________
Française
How often should I follow up?
I would suggest contacting the office every 4 weeks and visiting them too (if you have
a CAF office that accepts visitors!). If in your area you can no longer just ‘pop in’ make
sure you call them regularly and ask them to call you back. I have to say in this scenario,
the more you call and hassle them, the better response you seem to get. As you can
imagine, I call them quite a lot!
So timeframe, it can be anything from 4 months to a year and I have had customers who
have come to me after 18 months and just don’t know what to do.
Lieu de naissance : ville ___________________ département
Ou pays en cas de naissance à l’étranger : _________________
Nationalité :
Nationalité :
UE, EEE* ou Suisse
autre
Française
UE, EEE* ou Suisse
autre
Numéro de Sécurité sociale :
Numéro de Sécurité sociale :
Date d’entrée en France si vous résidiez à l’étranger :
Date d’entrée en France s’il résidait à l’étranger :
* Cf liste des pays en page 4
* Cf liste des pays en page 4
Si vous êtes inscrit à la Caf/MSA de votre département ou
avez été inscrit, au cours des 2 dernières années, en France ou
à l’étranger, auprès d’un organisme versant des prestations
ou avantages familiaux, précisez :
Nom de l’organisme : _________________________________
Pays : ______________________________________________
Numéro d’allocataire ou numéro de dossier :
___________________________________________________
S’il est inscrit à la Caf/MSA de son département ou a été
inscrit, au cours des 2 dernières années, en France ou à
l’étranger, auprès d’un organisme versant des prestations ou
avantages familiaux, précisez :
Nom de l’organisme : _________________________________
Pays : ______________________________________________
Numéro d’allocataire ou numéro de dossier :
___________________________________________________
Votre adresse
Votre adresse complète : _______________________________________________________________________________________
Code postal :
Commune : _____________________________________ Pays : __________________________
Numéros de téléphone - Domicile :
Autre (travail ou portable) :
Adresse mél : __________________________________________ @ ________________________________________________________
Depuis quelle date résidez-vous à cette adresse ? :
Combien de personnes vivent à votre domicile (y compris vous et votre conjoint) ? : _____________________________________________
• Si vous vivez en couple et que votre conjoint, concubin ou pacsé réside à l’étranger, précisez :
le pays : ________________________________ depuis quelle date :
!
Pour bénéficier des prestations familiales, vous et vos enfants devez résider habituellement en France, sauf si votre situation relève des règlements
communautaires ou d’accords internationaux.
S 7103 j - 10/2013
Date de la demande 03/04/2015
What can get frustrating is if you haven’t provided all the information they need (and to be
truthful, it’s not all clearly written on their documentation) then you will receive a letter, then
another, then another!! However if you follow the list of documents above, this process
will be reduced.
Nom d’usage : _____________________________________________
(facultatif et s’il y a lieu)
Emplacement réservé
Apply the 3-4 weeks rule and then call them. Then call them every 2 – 3 weeks until
your file is validated!
Madame
Nom de famille (de naissance) : ___________________________
DSIT
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www.lbsinfrance.com
They will send you reminders for a while but if you don’t follow through, they will stop
chasing, so don’t give up. I have a 100% success rate for each file I have taken on and
some of the more complicated ones have taken over a year but the customer received all
of their back pay. Perseverance is my middle name and let it be yours!
Top Tip 9 – Declaration de Situation – send again
If your file has been a long one ie over a year. Automatically send them a new
‘Declaration de situation’ especially if your address has changed. This is the base information
document that the CAF ask for almost any benefit request. This is Cerfa form 11423*06.
A lot of people don’t send it despite the CAF asking for it, because they already sent it.
Yes, I know, it’s a pain but don’t fight it, just do it!!
The CAF justify asking for a new ‘declaration de situation’ by saying that as the file has
taken a long time, then the family situation could have changed, and of course this can
be true.
One of my customers made their claim in 2013 and by 2015 when their file was
finally validated, they had changed address twice! I only got involved in 2015 by
the way when my customer could not deal with this anymore!
How much is the allocation?
See the table below for the current amounts. In addition, if you can prove that you have
been living in France as a legal resident for the past two years, they will provide up to 2
years in back payments. That’s a nice incentive!
For children born after April 30, 1997:
Number of children
Allocation
For 2 children
129,35
For 3 children
295,05
Per additional child
165,72
When your child turns 14, you will receive a 64,29 € monthly top-up for that child in
addition to your basic family benefits as from the calendar month following your child’s
birthday.
For children born before May 1, 1997 :
When your child is aged 11 to 16, you will receive a 36,16 € monthly top-up for that
child in addition to your basic family benefits as from the calendar month following your
child’s birthday.
www.lbsinfrance.com
What are the Rules for Family Allowances from 1st July 2015?
The Government is changing the system and from July 1st 2015 the allocations will be
changing.
The new income rules for the ‘Allocations Famililales’ have been long awaited and have
will come into effect from 1st July 2015. See the table below.
You can estimate your new rights here
http://www.caf.fr/actualites/2015/allocations-familiales-le-simulateur
If you haven’t provided your income tax return for 2013 then the CAF will have written
to ask you for this. Alternatively, they will stop your family allowance until you can give
them some proof of your income.
Income table for the allocations of family allowance
YOUR ANNUAL INCOME 2013 in euros
From 1st July 2015 to 31st December 2015
Number of children
INCOME BELOW
INCOME BETWEEN
INCOME SUPERIOR TO
2
67,140
67,141 and 89,490
89,490
3
72,735
72,736 and 95 085
95,085
Per each child
+ 5 595
+ 5 959
+ 5 595
Family Allowance amounts in Euros
Family Allowances (for 2 children
129,35
64,67
32,34
Family Allowances (for 3 children)
295,05
147,53
73,76
For each extra child
165,72
82,86
41,44
Increment for children 14 and older
64,67
32,34
16,17
12.Supplementary Benefit
(Complement Familiale)
If you have at least three children, you may be eligible for the Supplementary Benefit.
You will receive it following your youngest child’s third birthday, beginning with your
third child.
• You must have at least three dependent children, all between 3 and 21 years of age.
• Your 2013 income must not exceed the relevant ceiling (see table opposite).
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The ceiling is higher:
• If you are living alone;
• If you are living as a couple with two incomes
Applicable rate from April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015
Whether you have three or more dependent children, you will receive 167,34 € per month.
If your income is slightly above the relevant ceiling, you will receive the family supplement
at a reduced rate.
2013 income for 1st January 2015 – 31st December 2015
Number of children at home Couple with one income Single parent or couple with 2 incomes
3
36 599 €
44 772 €
4
42 699 €
50 872 €
Per additional child
6 100 €
6 100 €
Length of award
You will receive the family supplement once your youngest child turns 3.
Payments will stop:
• Once you have fewer than 3 dependent children ages 3 and up left at home;
• Once you have a dependent child under age 3;
• Once you begin receiving the Paje (early child benefit program) basic maintenance
benefit or “free choice of working time” supplement for a new child.
13. School Grants (Allocation
de rentrée scolaire ARS)
• You must have one or more dependent children ages 6 to 18 who are enrolled in school
or higher education or performing an apprenticeship.
• Children enrolled in “Maternelle” (nursery school) do not entitle you to the School
Grant.
• Your 2013 income must not exceed the relevant ceiling. Below are the 2013 income
ceilings applicable to the 2015 back to-school period.
www.lbsinfrance.com
2013 income ceilings
Depending on family circumstances as of July 31, 2014
1 child
23 687 €
2 children
29 153 €
3 children
34 619 €
Per additional child 5 466 €
Per additional child 5 466 €
When is this paid and what do I need to do?
-The ARS is paid in late August except for teenagers ages 16 to 18.
If you are already receiving CAF benefits, you have no action to take. You will be automatically
paid this benefit for your children aged between 6 and 16. For your children between
16 and 18, you will need to send the CAF proof of their enrollment in higher education
or apprenticeship.
If you are not yet part of the CAF system, you should apply for this in May or June and
once again you will need to provide all the documents to have a valid CAF file.
14. Claiming housing benefits
in France
You can also get help with ‘Allocation Logement’ which is housing benefit. Larger families
can also have access to a moving allowance. This can be for either a rental property or for
one that you are paying a mortgage.
You can do a simulation of your housing benefits rights on the main page of the caf:
There are a few different programs for housing benefits so I would advise a visit to the CAF
for cases that are complex. However, do come back to LBS if you want us to help you with
this.
There are 3 different types of housing benefits:
Apl – Aide Personnalisée au logement
This personalized help to housing benefit is granted to people who are:
• Renting a property either old or new which is subject to an agreement between the owner
and the state; the state has fixed the rental fees, rental duration etc.
• Owners of properties who have contracted a loan of various types. Consult www.caf.fr
for more details.
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Alf – Allocation de logement à caractère familiale
This allocation of family housing benefits applies to those who do not fall under the Apl
(above) and who :
• Have children or are expecting a child ;
• Form a family environment and married for at least 5 years. The marriage having taken
place before the age of 40 for both parties.
Als – Allocation de logement a caractère sociale
This allocation applies to those that do not fall under the 2 categories above.
The conditions are very much similar for each application. Generally:
• You must have a rental fee or reimbursement of a loan
• If it is a rented property, the owner cannot be the parents or grandparents or one of children.
It cannot be the property of your partner (married or not).
• You can get access to housing benefit if you are living in a foyer, hotel or university rental
• The residence must be your main residency and you must reside there for more than
8 months per year (or by one of your dependents ie partner, child, elderly parents under
certain conditions)
• Your income must not exceed the limits.
The same process applies in that you should make your application as soon as possible and
provide the documents quickly. They will only back pay your file from when it is validated.
Documents to be supplied:
• Cerfa form 10840*06
• Declaration de Situation Cerfa form 11423*06 for new demanders
• Cerfa form 10842*07–‘ attestation de loyer’ to be signed by your landlord if you are renting
• Copy of signed rental agreement
• Copy of passport
• Copy of Social Security documents ie proof of heath care in France
• Copy of carte de sejour if non-european
• Income Tax documents or declaration of earnings
NOTE : The rental agreement ‘bail’ must be in the name of the person
who is making the application for the housing benefit.
How Much will I be allocated ?
Your allocation will be calculated based on different factors, namely:
• The number of children and other dependents in your household
• The area of the residence
• The amount of the rent or the monthly repayments for a loan (this does have a limit)
• The income of the whole household
www.lbsinfrance.com
When will I receive the housing benefit?
You will be eligible from the month following your move to your home. So the first month
of rent is not paid. However you should make your claim as soon as you move into your
new home.
NOTE: If you change address, you will not automatically receive
housing benefit, you will need to inform the CAF and re-apply again.
15. If I am unhappy with
a CAF decision or service,
what can I do?
If you are disagreement with a decision from the CAF, concerning the amount of your
payments, the date of the payments or any other decision, you have 2 months to contest
the decision. This should be done by writing a letter to
Caisse d’Allocations familiales
Commission de recours amiable
1 rue Jean-Louis Vincens
47912 AGEN cedex 9
If your disagreement is concerning the RSA, send your letter to:
Président du conseil général
Hôtel du Département
47922 Agen cedex 9.
If you are unhappy with the response time of the CAF, or by the service level and
despite many attempts you cannot get a response to your questions, you can also send
a complaint to:
Caisse d’Allocations familiales
1 rue Jean-Louis Vincens
47912 AGEN cedex 9
You will receive a response with a maximum delay of 15 days. They will look at your case
and find ways to ensure better service.
37
16. Tracy’s
Top Tips to
get your file
validated
faster
Firstly, I hate to say this but you need to be patient. The
Government is working on simplifying their processes but I’m
not sure that it will seem this way to you, so take a deep breath
and go for it!
40
www.lbsinfrance.com
Then follow a few of these simple Top Tips:
1. Avoid using the French postal system, this can considerably slow the process down or even worse the documents don’t get there. Try at the very least to pop
them into your local CAF’s office letter box directly. Or use registered post with
‘Avis de Reception’. Even a ‘lettre suivi’ which cost less but is traceable is good.
2. Try to get proof that you are not receiving any family allowances from your country
of origin. Call the child benefits office in your local country (they are used to this)
and get them to send you an confirmation letter ‘attestation’.
3. Translation of documents if they are not in French is important. The CAF do
have their own translator for some of the languages but from experience I can tell
you that you can wait up to 6 months for your documents to be translated by them.
Birth certificates in particular should be translated as they will be needed for creating
your ‘etat civil’ once your file has been accepted. So best just do it all up front.
4. Ensure you have your parents name on your birth certificate.
5. If your passport is in a different name from your birth certificate, make sure you
can show this in your documents. Divorce documents, marriage certificates etc.
6. If it’s only your tax documents holding you up from sending the file, then give
in your file anyway. You can give the tax information afterwards and at least the
file starts to get processed. Just don’t forget to give them in afterwards otherwise
your file will be held up.
7. If you have had no earnings, write them a letter declaring that you have had no
earnings in the previous year.
8. As mentioned earlier, they often close early on certain days and they have been
known to strike now and again! So I would advise to check on www.caf.fr first
before going in. You will save yourself some frustration.
9. Anyway, even you are feeling frustrated dont forget to smile It’s very important!
You get more information and a lot more help if you smile. Even if you don’t speak
fluent French, they will appreciate your efforts.
10. And as a last resort, if really you have been struggling or getting incorrect
service, send them a letter of complaint as indicated in section 15.
www.lbsinfrance.com
Three is so much more I can tell you about the CAF but this guide is supposed to be
easy to read and just to help you understand. I sincerely hope that is the case.
Lastly, if all of this seems just too much, then pick up the phone and call LBS on 06 59
04 01 51. We provide different service levels to meet everyone’s needs for the CAF
and will be happy to give you more details in a meeting.
You can also find more details of the LBS Service packages at:
http://www.lbsinfrance.com/service
I would also love to get your feedback on this guide or hear your stories, so do email
me at tracy@lbsinfrance.com
A BIG THANKS TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR TELLING ME TO
GET THIS GUIDE ‘OUT THERE’!! FINALLY
AN EVEN BIGGER THANKS TO MY MANY CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE
PROVIDED ME GOOD RESEARCH MATERIAL OVER THE YEARS!!!
SOME OF THEIR STORIES ARE IN THIS GUIDE AND SOME OF THEIR
TESTIMONIALS ARE BELOW
41
Photo by Nice Tourisme
www.nicetourisme.com
I am very
proud to share
an extract of
my client
references.
44
www.lbsinfrance.com
TESTIMONIALS
Abi Shaw, Mougins
A. Slone, Biot, France
Heather Curwen,
English, Juan les Pins
I love living in France but French administration can sometimes be unbelievably time
consuming and a real challenge, even if you speak good French. Tasks can hang over
your head week after week and it can be quite daunting at times. So that’s where Tracy
can step in and take away all the worry. She’s so efficient, friendly and can turn her hand
to anything. You know that a ‘proper’ job will be done or you’re going to finally resolve
what has seemed ‘unresolvable’ for so long! I would thoroughly recommend Tracy to
anyone facing these challenges. She’s ace!
Abi Shaw, Mougins
Thank you Tracy for making our visit to the Prefecture smooth and painless. Without your
expertise I fear that visit could have ended poorly. Many thanks and we look forward to
working with you through all the complicated and confusing aspects of immigration to
France!
A. Slone, Biot, France – April 2015
I have used the services of Tracy Leonetti on a few occasions. Initially, to help me set up
my business and more recently for a child benefit claim.
Even though I speak reasonable French, I didn’t feel confident enough to tack such a
complicated process – Tracy took over the paperwork and managed to obtain almost two
years back payments.
I highly recommend Tracy at LBS, she is extremely efficient, friendly and her prices are
very competitive.
Heather Curwen, English, Juan les Pins
www.lbsinfrance.com
Hi Tracy
Just to let you know that I’ve received just over 3K from the CAF on the 7th August- thank
you sooooo much for your help with this couldn’t have done it without you!
Melanie Gulliver, Nice
45
Melanie Gulliver,
Nice
Tracy,
Many thanks for getting the car successfully re-registered. Very well done and thank you
for the excellent service.
Richard Biffa, St Paul de Vence
Richard Biffa, St Paul
de Vence
Tracy has been more than a helping hand for us with all things related paperwork. Since
we arrived here about two years ago she helped us with everything from car registration
to health insurance to child benefits. Without her we would have been entirely lost in
the french mills of bureaucracy. She is not only highly professional, very reliable and
trustworthy, she is also just an overall great person to work with and she gets things done
quickly and goes out of her way to help in whatever way necessary.
Sebastian Schar, Valbonne
Sebastian Schar,
Valbonne
Dear Tracy ! Thank you for your great help and professional advice today. You are absolutely
fabulous!
Svetlana Masjutina, Czech Republic living in Nice
Svetlana Masjutina,
Czech Republic living
in Nice
ADDRESSES AND
CONTACT NUMBERS
IN 06
Addresses
and
contact
numbers in 06
48
www.lbsinfrance.com
ADDRESSES AND CONTACT
NUMBERS IN 06
ANTIBES - 0810 25 06 10
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/accueil-antibes
BEAUSOLEIL - Tel : 04 93 78 93 33
Beausoleil:http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/beausoleil-centre-communal-d-action-sociale-partenaires-relais
CAGNES-SUR-MER - Tél. : 04 93 20 20 67
53, avenue de Verdun
Association I.S.I
06800 CAGNES-SUR-MER
CANNES
13-15 rue Buttura
06400 CANNES
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/accueil-cannes
CANNES-LA-BOCCA - Tél. 04 93 48 03 56
ZI La Bocca - 2 avenue du Centre
Association Parcours de Femmes
06150 CANNES-LA-BOCCA
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/cannes-la-boccaassociation-parcours-de-femmes-partenaires-relais
CANNES-LA-BOCCA - Tél. 04 93 47 21 16
Cannes-la-Bocca : MJC - Centre social Coeur de Ranguin (Partenaires-Relais)
CARROS - Tél. 04 93 08 78 03
15 bis rue Bosquet
06510 CARROS
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/carros-centre-social-lapasserelle-partenaire-relais
EZE - Tél. 04 92 10 60 60
GRASSE - 9 Bd Victor Hugo
06130 GRASSE
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/accueil-grasse
www.lbsinfrance.com
GRASSE - Tél. : 04 92 60 78 00
18 Rue de l’Oratoire
06130
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/grasse-centresocial-harjes-partenaire-relais
GRASSE - Tél. : 04 97 05 00 00
Les Cyclades
16 Chemin de camperousse
06130
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/grasse-missionlocale-du-pays-de-grasse-partenaire-relais
L’ESCARENE - Tél. 04 92 00 95 90
14 Rue du château
06440 L’ESCARENE
L’ Escarène : Relais Services Publics (Partenaires-Relais)
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/l-escarene-relaisservices-publics-partenaires-relais
LE BROC - Tél. 04 93 29 30 44
Le Broc : Agence Postale (Partenaires-Relais)
10 Grand Rue
06510 LE BROC
MENTON
10 rue Victor Hugo
06500 MENTON
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/accueil-menton
MENTON - Tél. 04 93 28 60 40
13 rue Partouneaux
06500 MENTON
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/menton-relais-servicespublics-maison-des-services-publics-partenaires-relais
NICE
Accueil Nice Nord
69 avenue Borriglione
06100 NICE
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/accueil-nice-nord
49
50
www.lbsinfrance.com
NICE - Tél. 04 89 04 32 90 - 04 89 04 32 91
Nice Centre : Maison du Département (Partenaires-Relais)
26 rue Saint-François de Paule
Maison du Département .
06300 NICE
NICE - Tél. 04 93 52 56 33
112, avenue Henri Dunant
L’espace familles du C.E.A.S. - Centre d’Etudes et d’Action Sociale
06100 NICE
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/nice-nord-l-espacefamilles-du-ceas-centre-d-etudes-et-d-action-sociale-partenaires-relais
NICE - Tél. 09 67 02 34 05
Nice Est : APPESE (Association pour la Promotion de la Prévention et de l’Economie
Sociale
19 avenue Emile Ripert
06300 NICE
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/nice-est-appeseassociation-pour-la-promotion-de-la-prevention-et-de-l-economie-sociale
PLAN-DU-VAR - Tél. 04 97 10 24 90
Plan-du-Var : Maison du Département (Partenaires-Relais)
368, route de la Porte des Alpes (RD 6202)
06670 PLAN-DU-VAR
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/plan-du-var-maison-dudepartement-partenaires-relais
PUGET-THENIERS - Tél. 04 93 03 31 15
Puget-Théniers : Relais Services Publics CEPAGE (Partenaires-Relais)
Avenue Miss Pell
06260 PUGET-THENIERS
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/puget-theniers-relaisservices-publics-cepage-partenaires-relais
ROQUEBILLIERE - Tél. 04 93 03 62 90
Roquebillière : Maison du Département (Partenaires-Relais)
30, avenue Corniglion Molinier
06450 ROQUEBILLIER
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/roquebilliere-maisondu-departement-partenaires-relais
www.lbsinfrance.com
SAINT-ANDRE DE LA ROCHE - Tél. 04.89.04.30.80
Saint-André de la Roche : Maison du Département (Partenaires-Relais)
2, rue du Ghet
Résidence La Laupia
06730 SAINT-ANDRE DE LA ROCHE
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/saint-andre-de-la-rochemaison-du-departement-partenaires-relais
SAINT-AUBAN - Tél. 04 93 60 42 30
Saint-Auban : Relais Services Publics - EREF / Point Public (Partenaires-Relais)
344, avenue des Hôtels
Relais Services Publics - EREF / Point Public
06850 SAINT-AUBAN
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/saint-auban-relaisservices-publics-eref-point-public-partenaires-relais
SAINT-LAURENT DU VAR - Tél. 04 93 07 00 66
Saint-Laurent du Var : Bureau Information Jeunesse - AGASC (Partenaires-Relais)
41, avenue des Pignatières
AGASC / Bureau Information Jeunesse
06700 SAINT-LAURENT DU VAR
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/saint-laurent-du-varbureau-information-jeunesse-agasc-partenaires-relais
SAINT-MARTIN VESUBIE - Tél. 04 93 05 62 66
Saint-Martin Vésubie : Maison du Département (Partenaires-Relais)
52, boulevard Lazare Raiberti
06450 SAINT-MARTIN VESUBIE
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/saint-martin-vesubiemaison-du-departement-partenaires-relais
VENCE - Tél. 04 93 24 03 96
Vence : Bureau Information Jeunesse - Mairie de Vence (Partenaires-Relais)
Service Jeunesse - Passage Cahours
Bureau Information Jeunesse - Mairie de Vence
06140 VENCE
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/vence-bureau-informationjeunesse-mairie-de-vence-partenaires-relais
VENCE - Tél. 04 93 58 92 30
2, rue de la Fontaine Vieille
Association I.S.I.
06140 VENCE
http://www.caf.fr/ma-caf/caf-des-alpes-maritimes/points-d-accueil/vence-associationisi-partenaires-relais
51
52
www.lbsinfrance.com
LBS
Processes
• A smooth transition when moving or living in France
• Taking the frustrationn out of the complicated French bureaucracy
• Helping you understand the processes and finding solutions
www.lbsinfrance.com
Over 13 different processes!
53
54
www.lbsinfrance.com
LBS
Services Packs
You simply choose
www.lbsinfrance.com
THE PAPERWORK CLARIFICATION PACKAGE
We explain the process, give you the application forms & you
do the rest – it’s as simple as that !
From 90 euros
THE PAPERWORK COMPILATION PACKAGE
We complete the application forms & help you through the
follow up process – hand in hand !
From 150 euros
THE PAPERWORK COMPLETION PACKAGE
For those that want that extra help, we do everything for you !
From 350 euros
55
For a frustration free experience contact Tracy Leonetti now!
CONTACT
website
www.lbsinfrance.com
e-mail
tracy@lbsinfrance.com
like my facebook page
Tracy Leonetti Business Services
Copyright – All rights reserved.
This resource guide contains proprietary content and must not be duplicated or distributed without written permission.
No portion of this material may be shared or reproduced in any manner under any
circumstance without advance or written permission from Tracy Leonetti

Tracy`s Survival Guide to claiming benefits in France

Transcription

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