Personalized housing assistance (APL) in France

What are the conditions for receiving APL?

You may be wondering if you can benefit from Personalized Housing Assistance (APL) to reduce your rent or occupancy fee, especially if you are a resident in a specialized housing facility (nursing home, student residence, etc.).

Here are the conditions to meet and the steps to follow based on your situation.

To quickly check your eligibility, you can use the Caf simulator.

Eligible individuals

You can benefit from APL if you are:

• Tenant.
• Declared subtenant with the owner, if you are under 30 years old or if you are housed with a family caregiver.

There is no minimum age requirement. A minor can therefore receive APL, provided that the lease is signed by their parents.

The rent receipt can be issued in their name. If you are an emancipated minor, the lease must be in your name.

Foreign nationals must have a valid residence permit.
Nationals of the European Union, the European Economic Area, and Switzerland do not need a residence permit.

Conditions related to the accommodation

APL only concerns your primary residence, occupied at least 8 months per year, except in specific cases (professional reasons, health, or force majeure).

The accommodation must comply with decency criteria and minimum occupancy conditions.

It must also be contracted, meaning it is subject to an agreement between the State and the owner or managing organization.

This is often the case for HLM (public housing) accommodations. Your host can confirm if the accommodation is contracted.

Conditions related to income

APL is granted under income conditions, based on the composition of your household and the location of the accommodation.

The income taken into account corresponds to the last 12 months and is automatically re-evaluated every 3 months.

Therefore, you have no steps to take: the Caf or MSA directly retrieves information from tax authorities or France Travail.

What is the process for receiving APL?

The process depends on your social security scheme:

• Caisse d’allocations familiales (Caf) for the general scheme.
• Mutualité sociale agricole (MSA) for the agricultural scheme.

The application is submitted entirely online.

You will need to provide the following documents:

• Double-sided copy of your identification document (national identity card, passport, or birth certificate extract) or valid residence permit.
• Bank account details (RIB, RIP or RICE) in your name.
• Rent certificate completed, dated, and signed by your host.

How is APL calculated?

The amount of your APL depends on several criteria:

• The number of dependents in your household.
• Your income, that of your spouse, or of persons habitually living with you.
• The value of your assets (real estate and financial) if it exceeds €30,000.
• The amount of your rent.

To get a reliable estimate, use the Caf simulator.

How is APL paid?

As a general rule, APL is paid directly to the landlord, who deducts it from the amount of rent due.

It is due from the 1st day of the following month after your rights open.

👉 Example: if you submit your application in February, the first payment will occur at the beginning of March.

Payments are made on the 5th of each month.

What to do in case of a change in situation?

Any change in situation (moving, bank details, family status, etc.) must be declared to the Caf or MSA.

This declaration can be made online or directly with your organization.