Tax Data Breach and Medicine Reimbursement Rules Change : News Digest

French admin and household finances lead the headlines this week, after a major cyberattack on France’s tax authority raised concerns for taxpayers and property owners using online services. The government has also announced aid and tax relief for communities and businesses affected by the Gironde and Landes wildfires, while families can note the payment of the allocation de rentrée scolaire and upcoming applications for school bursaries. Property owners should also prepare for 2026 taxe foncière bills later this month.

French tax authority data breach raises phishing concerns

France’s tax authority, the Direction générale des Finances publiques, or DGFiP, has been hit by a major cyberattack, with the personal data of hundreds of thousands of individuals and businesses affected. The breach is particularly sensitive because it comes just after income tax notices were issued and shortly before many property owners receive their taxe foncière bills.

Affected taxpayers are expected to be contacted individually. Residents and non-resident property owners should be especially alert to phishing emails, fake tax-refund messages, false payment requests or calls pretending to come from the tax office. The DGFiP does not ask for bank details, passwords or tax login credentials by email or text message, and taxpayers should use their secure espace Finances publiques if they need to check a message.

Wildfire aid and tax relief announced for affected areas

The French government has announced support for areas badly affected by the recent wildfires in Gironde and Landes. Measures include emergency aid to help communes rehouse people who lost their homes, as well as tax and social-contribution relief for businesses whose activity has been affected.

The support will be particularly relevant for residents, second-home owners, tourism businesses and property owners in the areas around Le Porge, the Bassin d’Arcachon and the Landes coast. Those affected should keep insurance documents, photos, invoices and official evacuation notices, and should continue to follow mairie, prefecture and insurer guidance.

Property owners prepare for 2026 taxe foncière bills

Property owners and usufruitiers in France should prepare for 2026 taxe foncière bills, with online notices due from the 27th of August for taxpayers who are not paid monthly, and from the 19th of September for those on monthly payments.

The payment deadline is the 20th of October for online payment, or the 15th of October for other payment methods where the amount due is €300 or less. Buyers completing a French property purchase should also remember that taxe foncière is usually apportioned between buyer and seller in the final notarial statement, even though the person who owned the property on the 1st of January is legally liable for the year’s bill.

Back-to-school allowance paid in mainland France

The 2026 allocation de rentrée scolaire, or ARS, is paid today, Tuesday the 18th of August, in mainland France, Guadeloupe, Guyane and Martinique. The means-tested allowance helps eligible families cover back-to-school costs for children aged 6 to 18.

For 2026, the amounts are €426.87 for children aged 6 to 10, €450.41 for those aged 11 to 14, and €466.02 for those aged 15 to 18. Families who have recently moved to France should check their Caf or MSA account to make sure their household and school details are up to date.

Families with children in collège or lycée can prepare for the 2026-2027 school bursary campaigns, which open from the September rentrée. The bourse de collège and bourse de lycée are means-tested and help eligible households with school costs.

For the 2026-2027 school year, entitlement is assessed using the household’s 2026 tax notice, based on 2025 income. Families moving to France with school-age children should ask the school about the application process, especially if they are enrolling in a private establishment under contract or if they need to provide additional supporting documents.

Fuel aid deadline remains open until the end of August

Eligible high-mileage workers still have until the 31st of August to apply for France’s €100 fuel aid. The measure is aimed at people who use a petrol, diesel or non-plug-in hybrid vehicle for work and meet income and mileage conditions. Applicants must either travel at least 15km each way between home and work, or cover at least 8,000km per year for professional purposes, including commuting. This may be relevant for residents in rural areas where public transport options are limited.

Medicine reimbursement rules change from September

Residents using the French healthcare system should note that new reimbursement rules for some médicaments hybrides and médicaments biosimilaires come into force from the 1st of September.

If a pharmacist proposes an approved substitute and the patient refuses it without a valid medical reason stated by the doctor, the patient may lose the benefit of tiers payant and may have to pay upfront before being reimbursed. In some cases, reimbursement may also be calculated on the basis of the cheaper substitute.

Virgin Trains moves closer to rival Eurostar

Virgin Trains has moved a step closer to launching cross-Channel rail services between London and mainland Europe, after the UK rail regulator approved its access to the High Speed 1 line between London St Pancras and the Channel Tunnel.

The approval could allow Virgin to run up to 20 daily return services from October 2030, with planned routes to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. However, the company still needs access to the Channel Tunnel and European rail networks before services can begin. If the plans go ahead, it would mark the first direct challenge to Eurostar’s long-standing monopoly on passenger services through the tunnel, potentially giving travellers more choice on UK-France routes.

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