Winter Eviction Ban, Pension Hikes, and Consumer Credit: What’s Changing This Month

Winter eviction ban, supplementary pensions, workplace accident benefits, pricier gas, consumer credit: several measures take effect on November 1, with another shift on the 20th of the month. Here's what's actually changing for household budgets — and what you should check right away.

The Winter Eviction Ban Protects Homes Until Spring

From November 1 through March 31, the winter eviction ban (trêve hivernale) suspends rental evictions in France and bans gas and electricity shutoffs over unpaid bills in primary residences. The measure, renewed every year, is meant to protect occupants during the coldest months. Energy suppliers can still reduce the power supplied if bills go unpaid, but they cannot cut off heating entirely.

Agirc-Arrco Supplementary Pensions Increased by 1.4%

Agirc-Arrco pensions (France's private-sector supplementary pension scheme) are being increased by 1.4% starting November 1, a raise affecting roughly 14 million private-sector retirees. The way the supplementary pension system works explains why this rate often differs from the one applied to the base pension, which is adjusted separately.

A Lower Cap on Workplace Accident Benefits

Another change is more technical but directly affects some employees: the salary cap used to calculate daily benefits for workplace accidents or occupational illness is dropping to 1.8 times the Smic (France's minimum wage), down from more than three times previously. About 14% of work leaves linked to a workplace accident are expected to be affected by this new cap, which reduces the amount received by higher-earning employees.

Pricier Gas Puts Pressure on Household Budgets

The reference gas price is rising by 6.6% as of November 1, an extra cost that the Commission de régulation de l'énergie (France's energy regulator) estimates at about 12 euros on average on the annual bill for gas-heated homes. This price increase adds to other expenses already under close watch in household budgets, as the finance bill continues to be debated in Parliament.

New Rules for Consumer Credit Starting November 20

The month's last milestone: on November 20, a decree transposing a European directive tightens the rules governing consumer credit, with the goal of better preventing over-indebtedness. Lenders will in particular need to strengthen their checks before granting a revolving credit line or a personal loan.

What to Check Right Now

• Your Agirc-Arrco pension statement, to make sure the 1.4% increase has actually been applied.
• Your energy contract, to anticipate the impact of the gas price increase on upcoming bills.
• Any ongoing workplace accident claim, if your daily benefits seem to have decreased.
• The terms of any credit currently being negotiated, before the rules tighten on November 20.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Winter Eviction Ban Prevent All Energy Shutoffs?

No. Suppliers can reduce the power delivered in cases of unpaid bills, but completely cutting off gas or electricity in a primary residence remains banned until March 31.

Does the 1.4% Increase Apply to All Retirees?

It applies to private-sector Agirc-Arrco supplementary pensions. The base pension, paid by l'Assurance retraite (France's national pension fund), follows a separate schedule and adjustment rate.

Does the New Cap on Workplace Accident Benefits Reduce Pay During Leave?

It reduces the portion of salary taken into account when calculating the daily benefit above 1.8 times the Smic. Employees whose pay exceeds this threshold will therefore receive a lower benefit than before.

Sources

Info du Jour — Juriguide — L'Appel

This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence. Editorial policy