France considers extending energy vouchers as consumer bills rise

"The increase in (energy) prices is leading us to work on this scheme (of energy checks) and to look at the need to extend it so that it can benefit more French people," Attal said after a cabinet meeting. Energy vouchers are currently granted to nearly 5.5 million households in France.

French government is considering extending the benefit of energy vouchers to more households to ease the cost of rising energy bills, the government's spokesman Gabriel Attal said on Wednesday. Attal told reporters that Prime Minister Jean Castex will make announcements on the matter in the coming days.

Households across Europe face much higher winter energy bills due to a global surge in wholesale power and gas prices and consumer groups have warned the most vulnerable in the region could be hit by fuel poverty as a result. "The increase in (energy) prices is leading us to work on this scheme (of energy checks) and to look at the need to extend it so that it can benefit more French people," Attal said after a cabinet meeting.

Energy vouchers are currently granted to nearly 5.5 million households in France.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)