Tarif Première Necessité (TPN) - Help & advice needed

[walsden]

I recently received an application form for TPN from our electricity supplier (Séolis) which I duly completed and returned. I received a refusal today because (a) the electricty account is not in my name (it's in my husband's) and (b) our supply rating is not eligible for the TPN (it's 12kVa).

I thought, okay, I'd already read that the mediator had recommended that supplies exceeding 9kVa should not be excluded from benefitting from this tarif, so I reasoned all I would have to do is get my husband to make the application instead.

Experience should have taught me that life is not that simple!

I phoned the TPN helpline, who told me that they can't send an application form to my husband, as their process is triggered by their receipt of details from CPAM, which in turn is generated by a successful application for CMU-C.

Therein lies our problem. We have CMU-C cover, but it was I who made the application for it rather than my husband (it's a long story but basically it was I who had the original E106 many years ago). My husband has cover too but as a dependant under my number.

Séolis have said that they could change the electricity account to include my name, but we would have to terminate our existing account and reapply for a new one, with all that it entails, and it would cost us over €25. I'm reluctant do do this because I'm not sure whether Séolis have accepted the mediator's recommendation on the supply limit (I know EDF have) so it might just be money down the drain which I can ill afford.

The law states that:

"Les organismes d'assurance maladie communiquent aux distributeurs d'électricité ou à un organisme agissant pour leur compte les prénoms, noms et adresses de leurs ressortissants remplissant la condition de ressources prévue à l'article 1er ainsi que le nombre de personnes du foyer tel que défini à l'article R. 861-2 du code de la sécurité sociale. "

So can anyone tell me what details the CPAM sends to the elctricity supplier? i.e. would they also have sent details of my husband's cover?

Does anyone have a similar experience or any ideas where I go from here?

[cooperlola]

Hmm.  No experience of this I'm afraid and I hope somebody who has can help you properly.   However, at first glance it seems to me that all that the CPAM send to the power company is the name of the insured plus the number (not the names) of other members of your household so it may well be that they cannot link the one set of paperwork with the other.

I'd maybe try approaching your CPAM direct (preferably with a personal visit - I always find this works better than a letter myself) and see if they won't clarify things direct with Seolis.

You should have a local social security rep' visiting your mairie from time to time  If CPAM can't help then it might be worth taking it up with them as it sounds to me as though this would come within their area of knowledge (more than mine, that's for sure!) 

Bon courage.

 

[Clair]

As your husband is a dependent as far as CPAM is concerned, all that is (should be) required is to prove that both individuals are part of the same household.

My first thought is that you should apply again, providing Seolis with a copy of your income tax return, which, presumably, is in both your names.

Also, you should try the freephone line for advice, if you haven't already done so.

[walsden]

Thank you both Clair and Cooperlola.

I did try the freephone number at first, it was they who told me that the form couldn't be sent to my husband

Our maire is very helpful so I think it's a good idea to try him first and maybe he can advise me if there's a social security rep.

With regard to applying again for the TPN, it seems it's definitely my husband who needs to apply as he's the electricity account holder. But without their application form you can't apply, and it's not as though you can download one from the web. There isn't even a space on the form to put the applicant's name - the one they send is pre-printed with a barcode and all you have to fill in is details of electricity account and meter reading.

I received another TPN application form (presumably generated by my call to the helpline) in the post this morning - yet again in my name. I presume they assumed I would want to go ahead and change the electricity account name and would re-apply for TPN.

If I get anywhere with this I'll update this thread so that anyone in the same situation will know!

Thanks again.