During the urban violence of 17 and 18 October 2026, several thousand shops across France were damaged or looted. On 20 October the government announced a set of measures for the businesses affected. Here are the essentials.
Staff and social contributions
- Short-time work (“activité partielle”): employees who cannot work receive 60% of their gross pay, or 100% at the minimum wage (SMIC). For companies with fewer than 250 employees, the State reimburses this allowance in full for hours not worked between 17 October 2026 and 31 January 2027.
- Employer contributions: the Urssaf allows payment of the next three months’ contributions to be deferred by up to twelve months, with late-payment penalties waived.
Full reimbursement requires a short-time work authorisation on the grounds of damage (“sinistre”), a police complaint and, where applicable, a claim filed with the insurer. The application is made on activitepartielle.emploi.gouv.fr within 30 days of placing employees on short-time work.
Cash flow
- Taxes: on request to the company’s tax office, tax payments can be spread without fees or surcharges, filing or payment deadlines extended and penalties waived. The tax administration (DGFiP) is also speeding up refunds of VAT credits, corporate tax overpayments and tax credits.
- Bpifrance loan: interest-free, up to €50,000 over three years, applied for on an online platform, to rebuild stock and meet the most pressing payments.
- Chambers of trades and crafts (“chambres de métiers et de l’artisanat”): emergency aid of up to €1,500 from their solidarity fund.
- Support fund: companies with fewer than 50 employees that suffered significant damage and a loss of business will receive a flat-rate grant, set as a percentage of turnover and capped. The details are still to come.
Insurers and banks
France Assureurs has extended the deadline for reporting a claim to 30 days and announced immediate advance payments and cover for making premises secure. Two insurers are also waiving deductibles. The government has asked banks to offer suitable solutions to businesses short of cash.
Who to contact
A national helpline, 0 806 807 807, charged at the standard rate, answers questions from businesses. In each département, advisers for companies in difficulty (CDED) help with the paperwork. Craft businesses can reach their chamber on 3006.
If your company is affected, we work out with you which measures apply and prepare the applications to the Urssaf and the tax office. Payroll and HR in France
Sources: Ministry of the Economy, press release no. 1138 of 20 October 2026; info.gouv.fr, “Dégradations de commerces : les mesures de soutien du Gouvernement”, 21 October 2026; Ministry of Labour, FAQ of 20 October 2026. Updated 23 October 2026.