I need some advise regarding schooling and general bills in france

[might be moving to france]

Hi, im new to this site and have been trying to find the answers to my questions but having not alot of luck.

Im a stay at home mum age 32, husband is 39 self employed plasterer and my children are 10, 8 and 1.

We go to france every year for our holiday and love it. We came home 2 weeks ago from our holiday in vendee and we fell in love with the place. We are now wanting to move there but have so many questions.

We would want to move somewhere near a primary school and secondary school that is good for english children, we are open to where we decide to live in vendee, has anyone go any ideas? After the sale of our house we would have around 80,000 euros to buy another house, do you think this is realistic?

In enland we have child tax credit and working tax credit, is it the same in France?

Do you get family allowance in france even if you dont have a job? I read somewhere you need to have a job, seemed very strange in this case.

Would we be intitled to claim for these types of bennifits as soon as we move into france?

As I have mentioned before my husband is a plasterer, is this a good trade to have in the Vendee? and is there much work?

I can go on and on about asking questions, but these are the main ones at the moment lol.

Thank you for any responses.

[Bevdeforges]

Hi, and welcome to the forum. Let me try and take your questions one by one.

Originally Posted by might be moving to france

We would want to move somewhere near a primary school and secondary school that is good for english children, we are open to where we decide to live in vendee, has anyone go any ideas? After the sale of our house we would have around 80,000 euros to buy another house, do you think this is realistic?

One aspect of French education that the French are very proud of is that all the schools are supposed to be equal. Obviously, this is kind of an ideal - and doesn't apply when comparing schools in, say the tough neighborhoods in Paris with rural schools. But within a given city or town, if there are multiple schools within the public system, they should be more or less comparable. If you're looking for schools that teach entirely or partly in English, that's another issue.

In enland we have child tax credit and working tax credit, is it the same in France?

The French tax system is quite a bit different from the British tax system. Rather than a tax credit, you get a "part" (or actually, a half a part) for each child and the total number of parts you claim determines how your family's total income is taxed. There is also a credit for those members of the family with employment income, but it works differently from the UK working tax credit.

Do you get family allowance in france even if you dont have a job? I read somewhere you need to have a job, seemed very strange in this case.

There is family allowance in France, but it's tied to the system of social insurances that are deducted from a paycheck (or paid in by someone who is in business for themselves).

Would we be intitled to claim for these types of bennifits as soon as we move into france?

You or your husband would have to be employed and thus registered in the social insurance system. I'm not sure, but there may be a minimum period of time that someone must be contributing to the system before most benefits are payable.

As I have mentioned before my husband is a plasterer, is this a good trade to have in the Vendee? and is there much work?

The big question is: does he speak French? It can be extremely difficult to find a job in France if you don't speak reasonable French. Setting up a business for himself will take a fair amount of time, money and patience (for dealing with the administration) but most of all, all the paperwork will have to be done in French. Also, all billings and other ongoing business documents must be in French.

I don't know to what extent there is work for a plasterer in the Vendee, but maybe your next holidays in France you could use for researching this issue.
Cheers,
Bev

[giantpanda]

Hi!

A general tip.

If you want answers to questions, do not put many in one post.
You will get better results, to the point, if you just ask one question.

To your questions:

In England we have child tax credit and working tax credit, is it the same in France?
Do you get family allowance in france even if you dont have a job? I read somewhere you need to have a job, seemed very strange in this case.

Hi!

In France the Income tax is based on your family.

Part system:

1 person: 1 part
1 couple : 2 parts.
per children: 0.5 part

So you have 3 parts.

i.e. you get into the tax progression with 1/3 of you income.

Aids:

Some aids are not means tested, others are, but the check-sum can be worked out differently.

1. On your total resources:

Basically it is on your gross income, without any allowances ( which in France are specific to the nature of income)

2. Total resources including some social helps.

3. Revenu fiscal de référence, which is a value worked out on your Income Tax bill ( Avis d'Impostion ) which is your gross income, minus the allowances.


For families, there are multiple possible aids, most of which are means tested. Competent mostly the CAF ( Caisse d'Allocations Familiales ) or the Mairie with matters concerning school transport and meals.

You have the Allocations Familiales :

Allocations familiales - Service-public.fr


See also different possible helps.

Moteur de recherche service-public.fr : résultats de la recherche

Now it would be best coming to France, when you have a fixed job ( a contrat CDI = Contrat à Durée Indéterminée and over the trial period )

Presently even for EC members, you need to prove that you will not be dependable on the French Social Security system*, to live in France - You have to have income or capital available.

More is here:

Citoyens communautaires en France - Service-public.fr

Now you probably understand the point made in the first lines. Before you have got through this ( if you can understand French or if you can a quick translation program, with all the reserves to be made ), you are going to have numerous further questions.

Yours,

giantpanda

* Here a first vital element ( otherwise you can forget coming to France ) that you are entitled to an E106 ( you get it in Newcastle if you have had a job in GB, but it is only valid 2 years.). For others it could be a E121 if you get a GB State pension.

[might be moving to france]

thank you for all your help however its seems all confusing regarding the help you get for families.

What happens if you are self employed and dont turn over much profit? can you get help then seeing as you might not have to pay tax (if you dont reach the tax bracket).

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by might be moving to france

What happens if you are self employed and dont turn over much profit? can you get help then seeing as you might not have to pay tax (if you dont reach the tax bracket).

If you are self employed, you pay your cotisations (social insurances) based on your earnings - but subject to a minimum "assumed" income if your business isn't generating much income or is having losses. It's one of the reasons you really need to have some savings in order to start up a business in France. It takes time and it takes money to get started.
Cheers,
Bev