France to boost energy vouchers as consumer bills rise

The French government plans to make a one-off 100 euro ($118) payment to the 5.8 million households that receive energy vouchers to help ease the cost of rising energy bills, the Prime Minister's office said on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Jean Castex will announce on Thursday that the affected households will automatically receive the payment in December, it said. 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.