How to Apply for the 2026 Energy Voucher and Benefit Amounts by Household Size

The 2026 Energy Voucher is a program that helps vulnerable households cover energy costs for summer cooling and winter heating. Although the heat wave crisis alert was raised to the “serious” level on July 27, 2026, applicants must meet the established eligibility criteria and application procedures to receive support, regardless of the alert level.

The benefit is not paid in cash. It is used through deductions from electricity, city gas, or district heating bills, or through payments with the National Happiness Card. Final eligibility and available energy sources are determined after applying, subject to confirmation by the relevant administrative welfare center, card issuer, and energy supplier.

Eligibility

As a rule, households must meet both the income criteria and household member characteristic criteria to receive an Energy Voucher.

1. Income Criteria

Eligible households must receive one of the following benefits under the National Basic Livelihood Security Act:

• Livelihood benefits
• Medical benefits
• Housing benefits
• Education benefits

Simply having an application for benefits pending does not guarantee support. Actual benefit eligibility and household composition must be confirmed during the Energy Voucher review process.

2. Household Member Characteristic Criteria

The recipient or a household member listed on the resident registration record must fall under one of the following categories:

• Older adult
• Infant or young child
• Registered person with a disability
• Pregnant woman
• Person with a severe illness, rare disease, or severe intractable disease
• Single-parent family
• Child-headed household or another protected group designated by the program

The date-of-birth criteria for older adults and infants or young children, the scope of recognized illnesses, and other details must be confirmed through the official announcement for the applicable year and the eligibility lookup results on Bokjiro. Support may also be restricted depending on whether the applicant resides in a facility or receives overlapping assistance from another fuel-cost support program.

2026 Benefit Amounts by Household Size

The benefit amount is not a monthly payment but the total amount per household for the entire usage period.

The actual bill deduction cannot exceed either the energy charges incurred or the remaining voucher balance. Any balance remaining after the usage period ends is not paid in cash.

In 2026, the total allocated amount may be used without being divided into fixed summer and winter amounts. However, summer electricity bill deductions and winter bill deductions or National Happiness Card payments are each subject to the required registration procedures and usage conditions.

Application Period and Official Application Channels

• Application period: June 15–December 31, 2026
• Usage period: July 1, 2026–May 31, 2027

Applications may be submitted through the following channels:

1. Online application: Find the Energy Voucher service details page on Bokjiro, verify your identity, and apply.
2. In-person application: Apply at the eup, myeon, or dong administrative welfare center for your registered place of residence.
3. Application by administrative authority: For eligible individuals with limited mobility or difficulty applying directly, the responsible public official may apply on their behalf after obtaining consent by phone or through individual contact.

Completing an online application does not mean the voucher can be used immediately. The relevant authority must complete its review, eligibility determination, and registration of bill deduction information.

What to Prepare Before Applying

Required documents may vary depending on the application method and household circumstances, but preparing the following information in advance can help the application process proceed smoothly:

• The applicant’s identification
• For applications by a representative, documents verifying the representative relationship, such as a power of attorney and the representative’s identification
• The most recently issued electricity bill
• The customer number and account holder information shown on the electricity bill
• For residents of apartments or other multi-unit housing, the latest maintenance fee statement
• If you have moved, the electricity and gas customer numbers and account information for the new address
• Supporting documents if pregnancy, illness, or household member characteristics cannot be verified through administrative records

Documents that can be verified through shared administrative information may not need to be submitted separately. However, if the customer number or account holder information on the bill does not match the current residence, the bill deduction may be delayed, so it is advisable to check before applying.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Step 1: Confirm Benefit Recipient Status

Confirm that the household is actually receiving livelihood, medical, housing, or education benefits. Meeting only the benefit-type requirement without meeting the household member characteristic criteria may make the household ineligible for an Energy Voucher.

Step 2: Confirm Household Members on the Resident Registration Record

Benefit amounts are determined based on the number of household members listed on the resident registration record. If the actual number of residents differs from the household composition on the resident registration record, it may affect the review and benefit calculation.

Step 3: Select a Usage Method

In summer, electricity bill deductions are generally used. In winter, select the method that best suits the household’s circumstances: deductions from electricity, city gas, or district heating bills, or payment for permitted energy sources using the National Happiness Card.

Step 4: Apply Through Bokjiro or an Administrative Welfare Center

For an online application, verify your identity and enter the application and household information. For an in-person application, provide the staff member with the energy source to which the bill deduction will apply and the customer number.

Step 5: Confirm the Eligibility Decision and Deduction Registration

After receiving the eligibility notice, check whether the Energy Voucher deduction appears on the actual electricity bill. Even after approval, a deduction may not be applied if the customer number is incorrect, the account holder does not match, or the supplier information has changed.

Summer Electricity Bill Deduction Process

To have summer cooling costs deducted from the electricity bill, accurate electricity service account information must be registered during the application process.

1. Check the customer number and account holder’s name on the latest electricity bill.
2. Select the electricity bill deduction method when applying through the administrative welfare center or Bokjiro.
3. Households receiving an individual bill, such as those in detached or multi-family homes, must submit the information from that bill.
4. Households whose electricity charges are included in apartment maintenance fees should prepare the latest maintenance fee statement and confirm the required customer information with the management office.
5. Check the voucher deduction and remaining amount due on the bill issued after approval.

The deduction is applied within the limits of that month’s electricity charges and the remaining voucher balance. The total benefit is not deposited all at once, nor is a fixed amount paid regardless of the electricity charges.

If You Move or Your Electricity Customer Number Changes

If you move, the customer number for the previous address may not automatically transfer to the new address. Notify the relevant administrative welfare center of the address and energy supply contract changes, and update the information using the customer number on the new bill. If you move into an apartment where electricity charges are included in the maintenance fee, you must also register again according to the maintenance fee billing method.

Requesting No Summer Bill Deduction

In 2026, the total benefit may be used without being divided into fixed summer and winter amounts. If you do not want an electricity bill deduction during summer and wish to concentrate use of the benefit in winter, you must clearly inform the administrative welfare center staff during the application process of your intention not to receive a summer bill deduction so that the relevant option can be registered.

Because amounts already used for summer electricity bills may not be returned to the winter balance, it is safest to handle this before the first deduction. If the relevant option is difficult to find on the online application screen or a bill deduction has already been registered, contact the administrative welfare center for your place of residence to ask whether the selection can be changed.

Cases Requiring Automatic Application or Reapplication

Cases That May Qualify for Automatic Application

Households that received Energy Voucher support in the previous year may be processed for automatic application without a separate application if none of the following information has changed:

• Address
• Number and composition of household members
• Benefit eligibility
• Energy source subject to bill deduction
• Supply contract information, such as electricity and gas customer numbers

Automatic application does not mean unconditional automatic approval or payment. It is advisable to check the processing status with the administrative welfare center or through Bokjiro during the application period.

Cases Requiring a New Application or Reapplication

If any of the following changes have occurred, do not rely on automatic application; instead, request a new application, reapplication, or information update:

• You moved to another address
• The number of household members changed due to birth, death, moving in, moving out, or another reason
• You newly became a recipient of National Basic Livelihood Security benefits
• You did not receive support last year or your support was suspended
• The electricity or city gas customer number or account holder changed
• You need to switch between the bill deduction method and the National Happiness Card method

In particular, moving and changes in household members may affect not only eligibility but also the benefit amount based on household size and the account subject to bill deductions.

Checklist After Applying

• Check whether the application status on Bokjiro is at the submission, review, or decision stage.
• Confirm whether you have received an eligibility decision notice from the administrative welfare center.
• Confirm that the customer number on the electricity bill matches the application information.
• Confirm that the Energy Voucher deduction appears on the actual bill.
• Immediately notify the administrative welfare center if you move or your household composition changes.
• Check the remaining balance and available usage methods before May 31, 2027.

The elevation of the heat wave crisis alert reflects the social circumstances of increased cooling cost burdens, but it does not automatically expand Energy Voucher eligibility or change the application deadline. Applicants must apply based on the official eligibility criteria and application period.