Energy Voucher 2026 Eligibility Check and Benefit Amounts
To qualify for the 2026 Energy Voucher, you must meet both basic livelihood benefit requirements and household member criteria. Check the official self-assessment steps, annual support amounts by household, required application documents, and usage deadlines.
Use the official eligibility calculator to check whether you receive basic livelihood benefits as of the application date.
Check the characteristics of household members listed on your resident registration record and the rules on exclusions and duplicate support.
Check your annual support amount based on the number of household members listed on your resident registration record.
Check the automatic application requirements, then prepare the necessary documents and apply.
Once selected, check your remaining balance and how to use the voucher, and use it by the usage deadline.
To qualify for an energy voucher, you must meet both the benefit eligibility requirements and the household member criteria. Use the official self-assessment to check whether you may qualify. You need a recent bill to apply for bill deductions. Applications are accepted through Bokjiro and Administrative Welfare Centers until December 31, 2026 (South Korea).
The amounts and dates are based on the Korea Energy Agency’s 2026 program guide.
Steps for the Energy Voucher Self-Assessment
Check whether you may qualify using the “Eligibility Calculator” on the official website. It is easier to answer if you first check which basic livelihood benefits you receive. Prepare household member information based on your resident registration record.
· Answer whether your household receives livelihood, medical, housing, or education benefits as of the application date.
· Check whether you or a household member meets one of the criteria below.
· Answer whether all household members receive benefits through welfare facilities.
· Check whether you receive other winter fuel assistance.
· If the result is unclear, ask your local Administrative Welfare Center to confirm your eligibility.
The Korea Energy Agency’s Eligibility Calculator Guide explains:
Please note that the actual application result may differ.
The self-assessment result is not a notice of approval. After you apply, the city, county, or district determines your eligibility and support amount. You can also get advice from the Integrated Counseling Center at 1600-3190.
Eligibility Requirements by Category
You must receive at least one of the following: livelihood, medical, housing, or education benefits. You must also meet at least one of the household member criteria below. These criteria apply to both you and the household members listed on your resident registration record.
Household member category | 2026 eligibility criteria
Older adults | Born on or before December 31, 1961, according to resident registration records
Infants and young children | Preschool children aged at most 7 who were born on or after January 1, 2019
Persons with disabilities | Persons registered under the Act on Welfare of Persons with Disabilities
Pregnant women | Women who are pregnant or gave birth less than 6 months ago
Persons with severe, rare, or severe intractable diseases | Persons with a qualifying disease specified in the Standards for Special Cases in Calculating Partial Out-of-Pocket Payments
Single-parent families | Persons eligible for support under Articles 5 and 5-2 of the Single-Parent Family Support Act
Child-headed households | Persons eligible for the relevant Ministry of Health and Welfare support, including children in foster care
Households with multiple children | Households that include at least one parent and at least 2 of that parent’s children under 19
Children in foster care listed on the same resident registration record also count toward the multiple-child criteria. Having two children alone does not satisfy the benefit eligibility requirements. Households are excluded if all members receive benefits through welfare facilities.
Energy Voucher Support Amounts and Remaining Balances
The support amount is the total per household for 2026, not a payment per person. The amount depends on the number of household members listed on the resident registration record. The amounts below are not monthly payments.
Household members on the resident registration record | Total support for 2026
1 person | 295,200 won
2 people | 407,500 won
3 people | 532,700 won
At least 4 people | 701,300 won
Any amount used in summer is part of the annual total already spent. You do not receive the amount in the table again when winter starts. The balance remaining after summer use can be used for winter heating costs.
The amounts and criteria for counting household members are listed in the Energy Voucher Program Guide.
Automatic, New, and Repeat Applications Compared
Do not assume you qualify for automatic application simply because you received support last year. Check both whether your information has changed and whether you qualify this year. The Korea Energy Agency classifies applications as follows.
Current situation | Required check or action
No information changed during the previous year’s support period, and you still qualify this year | Eligible for automatic application
Received support last year, but information such as address or household size has changed | A new application is required
Information changes while receiving support this year | Notify your local Administrative Welfare Center, then reapply
The period for changing information differs by item. The periods for reporting increases and decreases in household size are also different. If anything changes, check with the center about when the change takes effect.
Application Documents and Submission Methods
Submit in-person applications at the Administrative Welfare Center for your registered address. Use the Bokjiro website to apply online. The documents below follow the Korea Energy Agency’s Application Guide.
Application situation | Documents to prepare
All applications | Energy voucher issuance application form, completed at the center when applying in person
Bill deductions | The most recently paid electricity, city gas, or district heating bill or receipt
Apartment bill deductions | Apartment maintenance fee bill
Application by a representative | The recipient’s authorization letter and the representative’s identification
· Choose to apply in person or online through Bokjiro.
· To apply online, search for energy vouchers on Bokjiro and submit your application.
· Choose bill deductions or the National Happiness Card as your winter usage method.
· Submit the relevant documents and check your application status.
A representative must be an authorized household member listed on the resident registration record or a relative within the specified range. This includes blood relatives within the eighth degree and relatives by marriage within the fourth degree. If applying is difficult, you can also ask about an application initiated by the responsible public official. This requires the eligible person’s consent.
Energy Voucher Application and Usage Periods
Applications close at the end of 2026, but vouchers can be used into the following year. Distinguish between the application deadline and the end of the usage period. The winter start date depends on the usage method.
Category | 2026 program schedule
Applications | June 15 to December 31, 2026
Summer electricity bill deductions | July 1 to September 30, 2026
Winter bill deductions | October 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027
Winter National Happiness Card use | October 3, 2026 to May 31, 2027
The official guide schedules a pause in applications for 2 to 3 days in late December 2026. Applications and repeat applications will be paused to process the creation of voucher points. Check the official notice or your Administrative Welfare Center for the exact dates.
The Korea Energy Agency’s September 30, 2026 press release also announces the year-end application deadline. November 8, 2026 falls within the announced application period. If you plan to apply at year-end, check the pause dates first.
Restrictions on Overlapping Winter Support
You cannot receive winter vouchers alongside the support listed below. Summer voucher use and overlapping winter support must be considered separately. To switch to another program, check with the center about the period when changes can be processed.
Other support | Period or year subject to the restriction
Winter fuel assistance under the Emergency Aid and Support Act | October 2026 to March 2027
Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation coal briquette coupons | 2026
Coal Briquette Transition Energy Voucher | 2026
If you used the voucher in summer, you must also complete the procedure to stop your existing support. The official guide requires you to stop it through the center before applying for another voucher. Check whether a change is possible before applying.
Bill Deductions and the National Happiness Card Compared
Choose bill deductions to have support deducted from your city gas, electricity, or district heating bill. Use the National Happiness Card if you buy kerosene, LPG, or coal briquettes directly. In winter, choose one of these two methods.
Category | Bill deductions | National Happiness Card
How it works | Automatically deducted from the bill for your selected energy source | Pay directly with the card
Energy sources | One of city gas, electricity, or district heating | Electricity, city gas, kerosene, LPG, and coal briquettes
What to check | Your registered energy source and customer number | Accepted payment methods by merchant and supplier
If you apply using a recent bill for your selected energy source, deductions begin the following month. Card payment methods for electricity and city gas differ by supplier. Check which cards and payment methods are accepted before use.
The Korea Energy Agency’s Usage Guide also specifies restrictions on card use. The card cannot be used at bank counters or bill payment machines. You must keep and use the card yourself. Do not give or lend it to anyone else.
When You Qualify but Your Bill Is Not Reduced
Eligibility and bill deductions must be checked separately. Completing the self-assessment alone does not automatically reduce your bill. Follow the steps below to check your application status and actual usage information.
· Check whether you have only completed the self-assessment or have also submitted an application and been approved.
· Check whether your selected usage method is bill deductions or the National Happiness Card.
· If you have moved, ask the center whether your registered address and customer number have been updated.
· Log in to Bokjiro and check your balance under “Welfare Wallet > My Welfare Wallet.”
· If the deduction details are unclear, ask the Integrated Counseling Center for a detailed usage history.
For bill deductions, you must also check when the bill was issued and prepared. The usage guide requires deduction requests to be made by May 31, 2027 (South Korea). The bill must also be issued and prepared by that deadline. Do not judge whether a deduction applies based only on the date the energy was used.
You can find the balance-checking steps in the official Balance Inquiry Guide. Balance inquiries are available during the voucher usage period. Check your detailed usage history through the official chatbot or the Integrated Counseling Center.
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