2026 Energy Voucher Eligibility, Self-Check and Amounts ======================================================= To receive support in 2026, you must meet both the basic livelihood security recipient requirements and the household member criteria. Use the official self-check to see whether you may qualify, and prepare by noting the application suspension period and the total benefit amount for each household. - As of the application date, check your eligibility for basic livelihood security benefits and the characteristics of household members listed on your resident registration record. - In the official eligibility check, answer questions about whether you receive benefits in a welfare facility and any overlapping winter assistance programs. - Check for changes to your information since the previous year to determine whether your application is automatic, new, or a reapplication. - Prepare a recent bill for a deduction from your charges and apply on a day when applications are accepted. - After being selected, check the total benefit for your household and your actual remaining balance, and review how you will use the benefit. To qualify for an energy voucher, you must meet both the benefit eligibility and household member criteria. Check the official self-assessment first. If you plan to apply for bill deductions, have a recent bill ready. Applications for 2026 are accepted through December 31 (South Korea) at local administrative welfare centers or on Bokjiro. Amounts and dates are based on the Korea Energy Agency’s 2026 program guidance. How to complete the energy voucher self-assessment Use the official self-assessment to check your benefit eligibility first, then work through the remaining questions. Answer based on the benefits you receive on the application date. Check household members against a copy of your resident registration record. Go to “Energy Voucher Guide > Simulation Calculator” on the official website. Indicate whether you receive livelihood, medical, housing, or education benefits. Select whether you or a household member meets any of the household member criteria. Check whether every household member receives benefits in a residential welfare facility. Indicate whether you receive winter fuel cost or coal briquette support, then check the result. The Korea Energy Agency’s “Self-Assessment Guidance” describes the result as follows. Please use the result you have viewed for reference only. A result indicating that you may qualify does not mean your application has been submitted. Confirm your actual eligibility with the administrative welfare center responsible for your area. Selecting an incorrect answer can change the assessment result. Energy voucher eligibility criteria You must meet both the income and household member criteria. You must be eligible for at least one of the following: livelihood, medical, housing, or education benefits. Check whether you or a household member listed on the resident registration record meets a condition below. Category Conditions to check for 2026 Older adult Born before December 31, 1961, according to resident registration records Young child A preschool child age 7 or younger born on or after January 1, 2019 Person with a disability Registered as having a disability under the 「Act on Welfare of Persons with Disabilities」 Pregnant woman Pregnant or less than 6 months after childbirth Person with an illness Has a serious, rare, or serious incurable disease specified under the special coverage criteria Single-parent family Eligible for support under Articles 5 and 5-2 of the 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」 Child-headed household Eligible for the relevant support from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, including children in foster care Household with multiple children The same resident registration record includes one parent and at least two of that parent’s children under 19 Children in foster care listed on the same resident registration record also count toward the multiple-child criterion. Households in which every member receives benefits in a residential welfare facility are excluded from support. Being older or having children does not, by itself, meet the benefit eligibility requirement. Restrictions on receiving other winter support Receiving the following support restricts eligibility for the winter voucher at the same time. Fuel costs under the 「Emergency Welfare Support Act」 from October 2026 through March 2027 The Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation’s 2026 coal briquette coupons The 2026 coal briquette conversion energy voucher If you have used the voucher in summer and want to apply for other winter support, seek advice first. The official guidance says to have the voucher stopped at an administrative welfare center before applying. Check with the center when you can switch and how the change will be processed. Energy voucher application period and usage dates The 2026 application period runs from June 15 through December 31. Applications and reapplications will be temporarily suspended from October 1 through October 2. Checking a self-assessment result is separate from submitting an application. Category Official dates Applications and reapplications suspended October 1 to October 2, 2026 Winter bill deductions October 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027 Winter National Happiness Card use October 3, 2026 to May 31, 2027 Application deadline December 31, 2026 Applications are suspended to generate voucher points. Another suspension lasting 2 to 3 days is planned for late December. Check the official website again for the exact dates. (Confirmed detail: Applications and reapplications are expected to be suspended for 2 to 3 days in late December 2026; exact dates have not been announced · Source: energyv.or.kr · Checked 2026-10-01) Even after the October suspension ends, you must visit a center on a day it is open. Do not assume that the start date for using the National Happiness Card is a date when you can apply in person. 2026 energy voucher amounts and the balance available for winter The support amount is an annual total for each household, not a monthly payment. The amount depends on the number of household members included on the resident registration record. The usage period for standard support is July 1, 2026 through May 31, 2027. Number of household members Total support for 2026 Summer-only support amount if seeking other winter support 1 295,200 won 40,700 won 2 407,500 won 58,800 won 3 532,700 won 75,800 won 4 or more 701,300 won 102,000 won The last column applies when choosing coal briquette coupons, a coal briquette conversion voucher, or emergency welfare fuel costs. It is not an additional amount on top of the total support. This amount can be used only in summer. Standard support does not divide the amount into separate summer and winter allocations. If you used some in summer, check the remaining amount for winter. Do not assume the total is replenished when winter use begins. Automatic applications versus new applications Even if you received support last year, you need to submit a new application if your information has changed. Changes during this year’s support period require a reapplication under the guidance. Compare your situation with the table below. Situation What you need to do No information changed during the previous year’s support period, and you still qualify this year Automatic application Information such as your address or household size changed after the previous year New application Information changes during this year’s support period Notify the center responsible for your area, then reapply The periods in which changes can be processed vary by item, including changes in household size. When reporting a change, also check the processing deadline. If you are unsure whether your application is automatic, contact the center responsible for your area. Where to apply and what to prepare Apply at the administrative welfare center for your registered address or on Bokjiro. For an in-person application, complete the application for issuance of an energy use voucher. For bill deductions, prepare a recent paid bill for the energy you want deducted. If the charge is included in your apartment maintenance fees, bring the maintenance fee statement. If someone applies on your behalf, prepare the benefit recipient’s letter of authorization and the representative’s ID. A public official may also apply on your behalf with your consent. If visiting or applying yourself is difficult, ask the center responsible for your area for advice. Bill deductions versus the National Happiness Card For winter, choose one method that fits the energy you use. Eligible energy types are electricity, city gas, district heating, kerosene, LPG, and coal briquettes. Not every energy type can be paid for in the same way. Method Eligible energy How to use it Bill deduction One of electricity, city gas, or district heating Deducted from the bill for the energy selected National Happiness Card Electricity, city gas, kerosene, LPG, and coal briquettes Pay by card at participating suppliers and merchants Buy kerosene, LPG, and coal briquettes from participating merchants. Card payment methods for electricity and city gas vary by supplier. Check which cards and payment methods are accepted before use. Mistaking the usage start date for the bill issue date Bill deductions are not determined solely by when you used the energy. The official guidance uses bills issued during the usage period as its basis. Check the usage month and the bill issue date separately. Common assumption What to check Electricity used in October will be deducted immediately The bill issue date and whether the deduction has been applied New applicants can use the voucher immediately on October 1 Application receipt, eligibility approval, and deduction status All energy used in May is covered Billing and bill preparation by May 31, 2027, and the requirements for applying the deduction The usage guidance says deductions begin the month after you apply for bill deductions. If you have just applied, check the first bill to which the deduction applies. The program’s usage start date may differ from the date of your first deduction. How to check your actual balance Check your balance on Bokjiro to see how much you can use in winter. The official balance-check guidance directs you to “My Welfare Wallet” on Bokjiro. You can check your balance during the voucher usage period. Log in to Bokjiro using simple authentication, a joint certificate, or a financial certificate. Go to “Welfare Wallet > My Welfare Wallet.” Check your voucher balance. If you need a detailed usage history, contact the official chatbot or consultation center. If your balance differs from what you expected, check your actual usage history first. The self-assessment checks whether you may qualify. For questions about your balance or detailed usage history, contact the Integrated Consultation Center at 1600-3190. FAQ Q. Can I apply if I only receive housing benefits? A. Housing benefit recipients also meet the income requirement. Check the household member criteria and the conditions that exclude you from support as well. Q. Can I receive support if I have two children? A. The criteria for a household with multiple children include parents and at least two children under 19 listed on the same resident registration certificate. You must also meet the requirements for basic livelihood security benefits. Q. If the self-assessment says I may be eligible, does that mean my application is complete? A. The assessment result is for reference only. You must apply and have your eligibility checked separately. Q. Can I submit a new application on October 1, 2026? A. Applications and reapplications are suspended from October 1 through 2. For an in-person application after the suspension period, check when the center is open. Q. Does a one-person household receive 295,200 won each month? A. 295,200 won is the total support amount for a one-person household in 2026. It is not a monthly payment. Q. What should I do if I received support last year but have since moved? A. If your information has changed because you moved since last year, you need to submit a new application. If you move while receiving support this year, notify the center and reapply. Q. What bill do I need to apply for a bill deduction? A. Prepare a recently paid bill for your chosen energy source: electricity, city gas, or district heating. If you live in an apartment, prepare an apartment maintenance bill. Q. Can I also use the National Happiness Card starting October 1? A. The National Happiness Card for the winter of 2026 can be used starting October 3. Bill deductions start on October 1. Q. Where can I check my remaining balance in winter? A. Log in to Bokjiro and check under ‘Welfare Wallet > My Welfare Wallet’. For a detailed usage history, contact the official chatbot or call 1600-3190. Sources - Korea Energy Agency Energy Voucher Self-Assessment: https://www.energyv.or.kr/info/energyv_smu.do - Korea Energy Agency Guide to 2026 Energy Voucher Eligibility, Amounts, and Periods: https://www.energyv.or.kr/info/support_info.do - Korea Energy Agency Energy Voucher Application Guide: https://www.energyv.or.kr/info/apl_info.do - Korea Energy Agency Energy Voucher Usage Guide: https://www.energyv.or.kr/info/use_info.do - Korea Energy Agency Guide to Checking Energy Voucher Balances: https://www.energyv.or.kr/info/balance_inquiry.do Images - An older woman and her granddaughter look at a utility bill in a sunlit living room with an electric heater on.: https://onbinder.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MjM2MzksInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--e7553ff6d3621fe630593a38ef02f0b2963b0cda/ai-a5ed829b.webp - A worker hands a trolley carrying a heating-fuel canister to an older man at an autumn fuel yard: https://onbinder.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MjM2NDUsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--d8251e8b2e2cf058d2a1ba065ec1284e8adcbbc3/ai-20e5b8e8.webp --- Category: Policy Guide Source: https://onbinder.com/en/articles/energy-voucher-2026-eligibility-support-amount License: cc_by Translation-Status: reviewed