While some French people are still waiting to receive their inflation bonus, others have already received it… and even several times. Supposed to benefit some 38 million people earning less than 2,000 euros net monthly, this exceptional aid of 100 euros was nevertheless to be unique.
Those who report having seen it twice or even three times often have several statuses.
These are, for example, employees who are also self-employed, scholarship students who work in parallel with their studies.
Some retirees who have retained some form of professional activity are also affected.
Indeed, several organizations are responsible for paying the inflation bonus depending on the case. These are Pôle emploi for the unemployed, Urssaf for the self-employed, employers for employees and so on.
Also, someone who would have earned less than 2,000 euros in each of his activities, under different statuses, may, by mistake, be considered eligible several times for the inflation bonus.
For example, an employee paid the Smic will thus be able to receive this aid from his employer, then from Urssaf if he combines in parallel a self-employed activity not earning him more than 2,000 euros. net per month.
Bercy minimizes
Knowing moreover, that, according to the statutes, the payments do not take place at the same time, which can encourage duplication. Scholarship students received the inflation bonus in mid-December, then the self-employed, followed by private sector employees and public officials, and finally retirees in February.
Alerted to this phenomenon, Bercy tried to minimize it, arguing that these multiple payments only concerned a few thousand French people “at most”. But the National Federation of auto-entrepreneurs and micro-entrepreneurs (FNAE) does not agree. According to his calculations, it would rather concern hundreds of thousands of people, even a million.
But, the government maintains: there will be no controls, even if the law governing the inflation bonus stipulates that “unduly received aid” must be reimbursed to the State.
In response, the Directorate General of Public Finances has set up a specific online service, allowing the declaration of overpaid allowances. A device which therefore relies exclusively on the good faith of the French.