Qualifying for French Disability Benefits

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Qualifying for French Disability Benefits

Certain conditions must be met in order to receive the French disability benefits, the AAH or Allocation Aux Adultes Handicapés. 

You must live in France full time and be either:

• French
• An EU citizen or the family member (spouse/child) of an EU citizen 
• Non-EU but completely legal resident and registered in France

Your degree of incapacity must be at least 80%, or if it is less, you have to be recognised as unable to work. If your disability is less than 80%, then you must be under the age of 60 when you apply for this benefit.

Your degree of disability must be evaluated by COTOREP (Commission Technique d'Orientation et de Reclassement Professionnel) who will also agree and state:

• your right to, and length of the payment, of this benefit
• the availability of benefit for a third person
• the availability of an "invalid" card
• the admission to a specialised centre or a work centre for disabled persons - MAS (Maison d’Accueil Spécialisée) or CAT (Centre d’Aide par le Travail)
• the availability of free pension contributions for the carer of the person with disabilities

Benefit supplements

The amount (as of 30/05/06)

• The maximum benefit currently issued is €610.28 (see the government website Service-public) 

Since 11 February 2005 two supplements exist for the disabled who meet certain conditions. An extra benefit can be paid to those who choose to live in independent accommodation in order to help them to pay for the extra expenses of adapting their home. 

On the 1 January 2006 this benefit was fixed at €101.80 and will be paid on the following conditions if the person:

• has at least 80% disability 
• receives the full AAH (Allocation Adultes Handicapés) allowance 
• receives housing benefits
• does not earn any income

A benefit of €166.51 can be paid to compensate the absence of income for those in the incapacity to work. This is paid on the following conditions if the person:

• has at least 80% disability 
• receives the full AAH (Allocation Adultes Handicapés) allowance 
• has independent accommodation
• has received no income from work for more than a year and is not about to start a job
• whose capacity to work is recognised as less than 5%

Note: These two benefits can not be combined.

Be aware that if you are hospitalised or admitted to an MAS or CAT your benefits will be reduced. A supplement for this benefit can be paid on the following conditions. If the person:

• has at least 80% disability 
• receive the full AAH (Allocation Adultes Handicapés) allowance
• have reduced benefit with pension advantages
• have a work accident benefit 

 The amount will be worked out for each individual situation.

How to Claim

Request the application form for the AAH at the COTOREP offices, from your CAF (Caisse d'Allocations Familiales) or from a social worker (assistante sociale) and send it to COTOREP. Your allowance, if you are eligible, will start from the month that follows your application. 

Other rights

If you receive the AAH you also have rights to maternity allowances if required. You will also be exempt from the local taxes (taxe d’habitation). Those receiving the AAH and other extra allowances are exempt from income tax.

Further Information

• AngloINFO INFOrmation page on French Social Security Organisations 
• AngloINFO INFOrmation page on Notes for the Disabled
• Information (in French) from the French Government website
• Information (in French) from the French Service-Public website

Centre Val-de-Loire COTOREP offices:

• Cher (18) 
  COTOREP  (Commission Technique Orientation Reclassement Prof) 
  At: 10 rue Poissonnerie, 18000 Bourges
  Tel: 02 48 50 97 00
  Fax: 02 48 50 97 09
• Eure-et-Loire (28)
  COTOREP (Commission Technique Orientation Reclass Professionnel)
  At: 57Bis rue Docteur Maunoury, 28000 Chartres
  Tel: 02 37 91 23 20
• Indre (36)
  COTOREP (Commission Technique Orientation Reclassement Professionnel des Travailleurs Handicapés)
  At: boulevard George Sand, 36000 Chateauroux
  Tel: 02 54 53 80 40
• Indre-et-Loire (37)
  COTOREP (Direction Départementale du Travail de l'Emploi et de la Formation Professionnelle d'Indre et Loire D.D.T.E.F.P)
  At: 8 rue Alexander Fleming, 37000 Tours
  Tel: 02 47 31 57 36
• Loire-et-Cher (41)
  COTOREP (Commission Technique Orientation Reclassement Profession)
  At: 34 avenue Mar Maunoury, 41000 Blois
  Tel: 02 54 55 85 99
  Fax: 02 54 55 85 96
• Loiret (45)
  COTOREP (Commission Technique d'Orientation et de Reclassement Professionnel pour Adultes Handicapés)
  At: 122 rue Faubourg Bannier, 45000 Orleans
  Fax: 02 38 52 19 98