France’s Ministry of Economics and Finance published an overview of measures taking effect in April 2026 for households and businesses, including revised usury rate caps for mortgage lending from 1 April and an immediate, sector-targeted support plan to address higher energy prices with a total estimated cost of nearly EUR 70 million. For households, the income tax filing campaign for 2025 income opens on 9 April 2026, while several social benefits are uprated by 0.8% from 1 April, including the Revenu de solidarité active at EUR 651.69 per month and the Allocation aux adultes handicapés at EUR 1,041.59 per month. The prime d’activité is also increased from 1 April, with an average gain of EUR 50 per month for around three million households, and the 2026 energy cheque mailing campaign starts on 1 April with automatic issuance for eligible recipients and outreach to potential beneficiaries who are not automatically identified. From 1 April, the France Travail subsidy for category B driving licences is removed, and new usury rate caps for home loans apply at 4% for fixed-rate loans under 10 years, 4.48% for 10 to 20 years, 5.19% for 20 years and above, 5% for variable-rate loans and 6.2% for bridging loans. For businesses, the “Vérif Permis” service used by public road passenger and freight transport employers to verify employees’ driving licences moves from per-query pricing to a single annual fee of EUR 40 excluding VAT for unlimited checks from 1 April. The April energy support plan includes an exceptional flat-rate aid of EUR 0.20 per litre for very small and small to medium-sized road transport firms facing major economic difficulties, fuel-bill reimbursements for French fishing equivalent to EUR 0.20 per litre, an excise duty exemption for agricultural non-road diesel, liquidity-focused measures such as deferral of social contributions and spreading of tax payments, and inter-sector solidarity measures including banking-sector flexibility.

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