FRA9 FILE · Justice & rights
Social protection in France: the essentials
Health, family, unemployment and pensions: who funds what and for whom.
Social securityFamilyUnemploymentPensions
Health, family, unemployment and pensions: who funds what and for whom.
01Social security02Family03Unemployment
One system, several branches
Social Security covers health, family, workplace accidents and the basic pension. Unemployment insurance and supplementary pensions follow separate rules linked to work and contributions.
Key points✦ Social security✦ Family✦ Unemployment✦ Pensions
Status changes entitlement
Employees, self-employed people, students, jobseekers, pensioners and newcomers do not qualify on identical terms or timelines. Residence, work, income and contributions can all matter.
Before applying
Identify the responsible body, verify the status used in the application and retain contracts, payslips, tax notices and residence evidence. A status error can delay several benefits.
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