French RSA benefit request (revenu de solidarité active) — CAF
Application for the French RSA income support from the CAF or MSA. Filling guide with a summary of resources and family situation.
What is the RSA amount in 2026 for a single person?
The flat rate is uprated each 1 April by decree, indexed to inflation (Art. L262-4 CASF). From April 2025 to March 2026 the figure was €646.52 per month for a single person with no income. A new uprated amount has applied since 1 April 2026 — always verify the current rate at caf.fr before estimating your entitlement. The flat rate rises by 50% for a second household member or a couple, then by 30% for each additional member from the third onwards — adult or child, without distinction (Art. D262-2 CASF). There is no separate 40% coefficient for children; the 30% increment applies uniformly to every additional person.
Source: Service-public.fr — Revenu de solidarité active (RSA) · updated 2026
About this form
The RSA (Revenu de solidarité active — France's income support benefit) is a means-tested minimum income paid by the CAF (Caisse d'allocations familiales, the French family benefits fund) or, for agricultural workers, by the MSA (Mutualité Sociale Agricole). It tops up a household's resources to a guaranteed flat-rate amount, as defined under Articles L262-1 et seq. of the Code de l'action sociale et des familles (CASF — the Social Action and Family Code). Applications are submitted online at caf.fr via the official Cerfa form n°15481*01; beneficiaries must then complete a quarterly resource declaration (déclaration trimestrielle de ressources, DTR) every three months. Since 1 January 2025 — under the loi France Travail n°2023-1196 of 18 December 2023 — every RSA recipient is automatically registered with France Travail (the national employment agency) and must sign an engagement contract (contrat d'engagement) committing to activities tailored to their situation: job-seeking, vocational training, or skills workshops.
Worked example
Karim, 27, single with no dependants, loses his job at the end of a fixed-term contract and has no unemployment benefits. He applies online at caf.fr. With no income over the preceding three months and no housing benefit, he receives the full flat rate applicable to his situation (€646.52 at the April 2025–March 2026 scale — uprated from 1 April 2026; check caf.fr for the current figure). Had he been receiving APL, a forfait logement (housing deduction — approximately 12% of the flat rate, around €78 at the 2025–2026 scale) would reduce his RSA to roughly €569. Automatically registered with France Travail under loi France Travail n°2023-1196 of 18 December 2023, he signs a contrat d'engagement covering activities tailored to his situation; failure to comply may result in suspension of his RSA.
How to fill out the form
- Check eligibility: aged 25 or over (or RSA jeune actif/lone parent if under 25), stable residence in France, a five-year work-authorising residence permit for non-EEA/Swiss nationals, and household resources over the past three months below the applicable flat-rate amount. Use the free simulator at caf.fr to estimate your entitlement before applying.
- Gather your documents: French social-security number (numéro de sécurité sociale), bank account details (RIB — relevé d'identité bancaire), proof of identity and address, proof of family status, and evidence of all household income (wages, unemployment benefits, pensions) for the past three months.
- Submit your application online at caf.fr using the official Cerfa form n°15481*01 (or at msa.fr if you are covered by the agricultural scheme). If you have no internet access, a paper dossier may be lodged at a CAF office, a CCAS, or the Conseil Départemental.
- Await processing (two to four weeks): the CAF verifies conditions and calculates RSA = applicable flat rate minus household resources minus housing deduction (if any), then notifies you of the decision; payment begins on the 5th of the following month. Entitlement runs from the first day of the month the complete dossier is received (Art. L262-18 CASF).
- Maintain entitlement: submit your quarterly resource declaration (DTR — déclaration trimestrielle de ressources) on time, sign your contrat d'engagement with France Travail, and comply with the agreed activities to avoid suspension. Report any change of situation within one month.
Good to know
- The quarterly resource declaration (DTR) is mandatory — missing it automatically suspends payment. Any overpayment caused by undeclared income or an unreported change of circumstances is recovered by the CAF and, in cases of deliberate false declaration, may trigger criminal penalties.
- RSA is not backdated beyond the month of application (Art. L262-18 CASF): submit your claim as soon as you meet the conditions, since entitlement starts on the first day of the month your complete dossier is received — not the date you became eligible.
- Report any change of situation — new job, move, birth, or relationship change — within one month. These events affect your RSA amount and may open or close entitlement to the prime d'activité (in-work benefit), a separate allowance also paid by the CAF.
Frequently asked questions
What is the RSA amount in 2026 for a single person?
The flat rate is uprated each 1 April by decree, indexed to inflation (Art. L262-4 CASF). From April 2025 to March 2026 the figure was €646.52 per month for a single person with no income. A new uprated amount has applied since 1 April 2026 — always verify the current rate at caf.fr before estimating your entitlement. The flat rate rises by 50% for a second household member or a couple, then by 30% for each additional member from the third onwards — adult or child, without distinction (Art. D262-2 CASF). There is no separate 40% coefficient for children; the 30% increment applies uniformly to every additional person.
From what age can you claim RSA?
RSA is open to people aged 25 and over (Art. L262-4 CASF). Under-25s may qualify if they are a lone parent with a child born or expected, or if they meet the RSA jeune actif conditions — available to 18-to-24-year-olds who have worked at least two years (3,214 hours, equivalent to 2 × 1,607 hours of the standard annual working time) during the three years preceding the claim (Art. L262-7-1 CASF).
How do you apply for RSA and how long does it take?
Apply online at caf.fr (section 'Faire une demande de prestation') using Cerfa form n°15481*01, or at msa.fr for agricultural-scheme workers. A paper dossier may also be lodged at a CAF office, a CCAS (Centre Communal d'Action Sociale — local social welfare centre), or the Conseil Départemental. Processing typically takes two to four weeks. Entitlement runs from the first day of the month in which a complete application is received (Art. L262-18 CASF), and payment is made on the 5th of each month.
Is a housing deduction applied to RSA?
Yes. If you receive a housing benefit (APL — aide personnalisée au logement, ALS, or ALF), own your home, or live rent-free, a notional housing deduction (forfait logement) is subtracted from the flat rate: approximately 12% for a single person, 16% for two people, and 16.5% for three or more. The RSA you actually receive is therefore lower than the full flat-rate amount.
What are the residency and income conditions for RSA?
You must reside in France on a stable and effective basis, be French or — for non-EEA/Swiss nationals — hold a residence permit authorising work for at least five years (eased conditions apply to EEA and Swiss nationals holding valid residence rights), and have average household resources over the past three months below the flat-rate amount applicable to your household composition (Art. L262-4 CASF).
Do you have to carry out weekly activities to keep receiving RSA?
Since the universal rollout on 1 January 2025 under loi France Travail n°2023-1196 (18 December 2023), every RSA recipient must sign a contrat d'engagement with France Travail covering activities suited to their situation: job-seeking, training, work placements, or workshops. Government communications and Decree n°2024-193 reference an indicative target of 15 to 20 hours per week, but the law sets no universal statutory minimum — hours are tailored individually. Failure to honour commitments may trigger suspension and ultimately termination of RSA following a formal contradictory procedure.
Official sources
Updated on 2026-06-26
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