Apply for housing benefits

In short

Last update : 7 nov. 2022

What is it?

The CAF (Caisse des Allocations Familiales) can help you pay your rent, depending on your situation and your resources.

There are 3 types of housing assistance:

Personalized housing assistance (APL): for tenants of housing under agreement with the State.
family housing allowance (ALF): for people who cannot have APL and according to their family situation (example: children, dependents, etc.).
Social housing allowance (ALS): for tenants who cannot have APL and ALF.

Good to know: The amount of your housing benefit depends on:
- The number of people who live with you
- The place of accommodation
- The price of the rent
- Household resources for the last 12 months.

Who is it for?

Location

France entière

Location

France entière

What to do?

Check if you can get housing assistance

You can receive help if:

you are a French citizen or a citizen of the European Economic Area or Switzerland
OR you are of foreign nationality with a valid residence permit
it is your main residence (where you live at least 8 months a year)
you are not from the same family as your owner ( parent, grandparent, child or grandchild, etc.)
you live in a hostel , in a hotel , in furnished accommodation or in a university residence
the surface of your accommodation is at least:

9 m² for a single person
16 m² for two people (+ 9 m² per additional person)
70 m² for eight or more people

your resources and those of the people who live with you do not exceed some limits.

Prepare your documents

You need :

An identity document (identity card, passport or residence permit)
Your social security number if you have one
A school certificate if you are a student
An email address or mobile phone number
A bank account statement (RIB)
Your lease
A rent certificate completed by your landlord
The amount of your resources for the last 12 months

Make a simulation

The online simulator can help you:

Find out if you can get help
Know what help you can get
Calculate the estimated amount of aid

If you are entitled to assistance, you can apply directly online. To do this, click on “Make the request” at the end of the simulation.

If you are already a CAF beneficiary, log in to your CAF account.

If you are not yet a CAF beneficiary:

Click on “Create My Account”
Below “You are not a beneficiary”, click on “Make a request”
Choose the theme “Housing” then “Request for housing assistance”
Click on “Apply”
Under “Create an account”, click on the “Create” button
Follow the steps to create your account

Good to know : > Read also: the Refugees.info sheet "Register and connect to CAF"

Make a request

Once you are logged into your account, click on “Accommodation” then on “Apply”
Click “Get Started” and provide information to apply

And after?

Follow your request online

Go to “Follow my request” from your account
CAF informs you when your request has been processed

Good to know: The aid is paid from the 1st day of the month following the month in which your file was processed. The payment can take about 2 months. You will then receive the aid every 5th of the month.

In case of error in your request

Go to “Contact my Caf” from your account
Write to CAF to report and correct your error

Declare a change in your situation

Do not forget to declare to the CAF any change in your situation (moving, bank details, family life, etc.).

To do this, go to “Declare a change” from your online account. You can also go to the nearest CAF to fill out the declaration of change of situation form on site.

If you disagree with CAF

Go to “Contact my Caf” from your account
In the drop-down menu "Your question concerns", choose "Contesting a right, a payment or an undue payment"
Fill in your request then send the form
CAF will respond to you within 15 days

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