Declaring a Marriage or Civil Partnership (PACS)

Marriage or civil partnership (PACS) affects your family status with CAF, and therefore the calculation of various benefits: housing benefit, RSA, and other family allowances. This change must be declared as soon as possible to ensure your rights are calculated correctly.

This page explains how to make this declaration, what information to provide, and offers a ready-to-use letter template, plus a tool to automatically generate your personalized letter.

When should you write this letter?

• You recently got married or entered a civil partnership (PACS);
• You had difficulty declaring online;
• This change involves moving into shared housing;
• You want to know the impact of this change on your current benefits;
• You need to correct information that was registered incorrectly.

In all these cases, a written letter remains a reliable way to quickly update your file.

Required information to include

• Your first and last name and beneficiary number;
• The first and last name of your spouse/partner;
• The date of the marriage or civil partnership;
• Your new housing situation (shared or separate);
• Your combined approximate income if needed;
• The list of documents attached (marriage certificate or civil partnership contract).

The more accurate this information is, the faster your rights will be recalculated.

Official letter template

Important note: the letter sent to CAF must be written in French, as it is a French administration. Below is a template you can use as a basis.

[First name LAST NAME]
[Full address]
[Beneficiary number]

CAF of [Department]
[CAF address]

Written in [City], on [Date]

Subject: Declaration of change of family status

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am informing you of my marriage/civil partnership on [date], with [spouse's name].

[...]

→ The complete letter, tailored precisely to your situation and ready to send, is generated automatically in 3 minutes using the tool above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to declare my marriage immediately?

Yes, it's advisable to declare as soon as possible to avoid any error in calculating your current benefits.

Does marriage affect housing benefit?

Yes, the benefit is recalculated based on the couple's combined income and new housing situation.

What if I got married outside France?

The declaration is still required, and you'll need to provide an official document proving the marriage, translated if necessary.

Are RSA benefits affected by marriage?

Yes, RSA is recalculated based on the total income of the new household.

Does PACS follow the same rules?

Yes, civil partnership (PACS) follows the same declaration and calculation rules as marriage.