Vulnerable households whose Energy Vouchers were discontinued because of a move or a change in household size have another opportunity to receive support during the winter of 2026. The government has introduced the Energy Voucher Find-and-Assist Service, which proactively contacts approximately 25,000 households by telephone to help them reapply. Instead of visiting a local administrative welfare center in person, eligible residents can respond to a counselor, give their consent, and have a local government official process their reapplication. Separate advance cash payments for heating costs are also being introduced for certain vulnerable households, including residents of tiny single-room accommodations and gosiwon facilities, where using Energy Vouchers directly can be difficult.
Can You Receive Energy Vouchers Again If They Were Discontinued After Moving?
Yes. Announced in November 2026, the Energy Voucher Find-and-Assist Service is designed to reconnect households whose existing benefits were discontinued because of circumstances such as moving or changes in the number of household members.
The government plans to assist approximately 25,000 households whose Energy Voucher benefits have been discontinued by March 2027.
Previously, changes to a household's registered address or household-member information could result in the suspension of benefits. Residents then had to complete a reapplication process to receive support again. Some households, particularly those with elderly or disabled members, could miss out because they were unaware that their benefits had stopped or had difficulty visiting a local administrative welfare center.
The new service changes how the reapplication process begins.
Counselors directly call people whose benefits have been discontinued.
During the call, they confirm whether the household wishes to reapply.
If the applicant gives consent, a local government official processes the reapplication.
Households can have their benefits reinstated without visiting an administrative welfare center in person.
One important point: receiving a telephone call does not automatically restore benefits. The applicant must give consent, and the reapplication must be processed.
What Should You Do If You Miss a Call From the Government?
The Find-and-Assist Service is designed to contact eligible households first. However, missing a call does not mean that you are ineligible for assistance.
If your Energy Voucher disappeared after moving or your benefits were discontinued following a change in household membership, contact the administrative welfare center responsible for your current residential area. Ask them to check your current benefit status and whether you can reapply.
You should particularly check your status in the following situations:
You previously received Energy Vouchers, but they stopped working after you moved.
Your voucher no longer appears after the number of household members changed.
You missed reapplication guidance because of circumstances such as old age or disability.
You received a notification by text message or mail but could not complete the application process.
The Find-and-Assist Service is intended to reconnect households whose existing benefits have been discontinued. It is not a telephone reapplication procedure that automatically applies to every new applicant.
During the consultation, check whether your registered address and household-member information have changed and why your previous benefits were discontinued.
When Can You Receive Heating Cost Assistance in Cash Instead of Energy Vouchers?
If your living arrangements make it difficult to use an Energy Voucher, check whether you qualify for separate advance cash assistance. One major target group consists of vulnerable residents of tiny single-room accommodations or gosiwon facilities, where heating and cooling costs are included in the rent and residents cannot easily pay energy providers directly.
A new advance cash payment program for heating costs was introduced for these households in 2026.
The government announced an initial assistance group of approximately 5,300 households that had applied in advance beginning in November.
Cash assistance and the standard Energy Voucher program should be understood as separate forms of support.
| Category | Energy Voucher Reapplication | Advance Cash Assistance for Heating Costs |
|---|---|---|
| Main eligible households | Households whose benefits were discontinued because of moving, changes in household membership, or similar circumstances | Vulnerable households whose living arrangements make direct use of vouchers difficult |
| Form of assistance | Reapplication for existing voucher benefits | Cash deposited into the recipient's own bank account |
| Process | Counselor contact and consent, followed by processing by a government official | Separate application and eligibility assessment |
| Main purpose | Restoring discontinued benefits | Helping households that cannot easily use vouchers pay for heating |
There is an important qualification here. Not every tenant whose rent includes energy costs automatically qualifies for cash assistance. The government-announced program targets vulnerable households that have difficulty actually using Energy Vouchers.
A Yonhap News report also described people living in non-standard residential facilities and households using central heating as situations being considered for cash assistance. However, each household's final eligibility and payment amount must be determined through an application and eligibility review.
How Much Cash Assistance Will You Receive, and When Will It Be Deposited?
The cash assistance amount is not a fixed sum that every household receives equally. According to government announcements and media reports, the payment is calculated using the average Energy Voucher expenditure, taking factors such as household size into account.
According to the payment schedule reported on November 10, 2026:
Approximately 5,300 households that applied before November: Payments were scheduled to be deposited into recipients' own bank accounts on November 12.
Households applying after November: Further assistance is to be provided based on the average amount used by Energy Voucher recipients in 2026.
Therefore, the figure of 5,300 households represents the initial group for implementing cash assistance. It does not mean that every applicant automatically receives a payment.
The exact payment for each household must also be confirmed separately. Do not mistake KRW 147,000 for the cash assistance amount. That figure refers to a separate additional Energy Voucher benefit for households using kerosene or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Check Your Eligibility for the Standard Energy Voucher Program Again
Moving does not automatically make every household eligible for Energy Vouchers. Under South Korea's standard Energy Voucher program, applicants must meet both the income eligibility requirement and the household-member eligibility requirement.
The first requirement is receiving benefits under Korea's National Basic Livelihood Security System.
The household must receive at least one of the following four types of benefits:
Livelihood benefits
Medical benefits
Housing benefits
Education benefits
The second requirement concerns the characteristics of household members listed on the resident registration record.
At least one member of the recipient household, including the recipient, must meet one of the following conditions:
Older adult: Born on or before December 31, 1961
Infant or young child: A preschool child aged 7 or younger, born on or after January 1, 2019
A person with a registered disability
A woman who is pregnant or has given birth within the previous six months
A person with a severe disease, rare disease, or severe incurable disease
A person eligible for support under the single-parent family program
A member of a household headed by a child or a child under foster care
A household with two or more children under the age of 19
Households in which all members receive benefits at a residential welfare facility are excluded. Restrictions on receiving overlapping support must also be checked, including certain winter fuel assistance under the Emergency Welfare Support program and coal briquette vouchers.
2026 Energy Voucher Benefit Amounts and Usage Period
The total annual Energy Voucher benefit for 2026 varies according to household size.
| Number of Household Members | Total 2026 Benefit |
|---|---|
| 1 person | KRW 295,200 |
| 2 people | KRW 407,500 |
| 3 people | KRW 532,700 |
| 4 or more people | KRW 701,300 |
These figures are not monthly payments. They represent the total amounts available for use throughout the 2026 benefit period.
The application period runs from June 15 through December 31, 2026. The benefit usage period runs from July 1, 2026, through May 31, 2027.
Physical cards can be used for the winter period beginning October 3, while virtual cards using the utility-bill deduction method can be used beginning October 1.
If you have moved, check not only your registered address but also your energy supplier, customer number, and type of residence. In particular, households using the utility-bill deduction method should check whether the customer number associated with their previous address differs from the information for their new home.
Households That Receive Vouchers but Cannot Use Them Can Also Get Help
If an Energy Voucher has been issued but you have been unable to use it, you may qualify for separate in-person assistance.
The government is expanding its Visiting Energy Welfare Service, through which postal workers, social workers, and other personnel visit households to explain how to obtain and use voucher cards.
In 2025, the service visited 59,000 households that had not used any of their voucher benefits. In 2026, the program is expanding to cover up to 122,000 households. This includes not only households that have used none of their benefits but also those that have used less than 50% of the allocated amount.
This service has a different purpose from the Find-and-Assist Service, which helps households reapply for discontinued benefits.
Find-and-Assist Service: Helps households reapply when their benefits have been discontinued.
Visiting Energy Welfare Service: Helps households that have received vouchers but have difficulty using them.
Advance cash assistance: Supports vulnerable households whose living arrangements make direct use of Energy Vouchers difficult.
If your voucher has already been issued, check your remaining balance and usage status before submitting another application unnecessarily.
Households Using Kerosene or LPG for Heating Receive an Additional KRW 147,000
Households receiving Energy Vouchers that use kerosene or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as heating fuel qualify for separate additional assistance.
In 2026, approximately 210,000 households are eligible to receive an additional voucher worth KRW 147,000 per household.
Adding the additional KRW 147,000 to the existing average benefit of KRW 367,000 gives an average total of KRW 514,000.
Author's calculation: KRW 367,000 + KRW 147,000 = KRW 514,000. This calculation uses average benefit amounts and does not mean that every household will actually receive KRW 514,000.
The additional benefit is scheduled to be provided through the Kookmin Happiness Card beginning December 9, 2026.
This is a separate program from advance cash payments. Households receiving standard Energy Vouchers and using kerosene or LPG should separately check whether they qualify for the additional benefit.
How to Check Your Application and Where to Get Help
If your Energy Voucher benefits were discontinued after moving, follow these steps:
1. Check your current address on your resident registration record and confirm your household-member information.
2. Check whether your existing Energy Voucher benefits have been discontinued.
3. Ask whether you are eligible for the Find-and-Assist Service and respond to the counselor's call.
4. Express your intention to reapply and provide your consent.
5. Confirm the local government official's reapplication processing result and whether you can use your Energy Voucher again.
If you cannot wait for the government to contact you or are unsure whether you qualify, you can contact the Energy Voucher Integrated Counseling Center.
Energy Voucher Integrated Counseling Center
Korea Energy Agency Energy Voucher Information
Official Government Information
You can check the 2026 application period, eligibility requirements, and usage instructions.
Official Energy Voucher Website
Bokjiro Welfare Services
Even if your Energy Voucher was discontinued after moving, you do not need to give up on receiving assistance. The Find-and-Assist Service for reconnecting discontinued benefits and the cash assistance program for households that cannot easily use vouchers operate separately. It is important to check which support applies to your current living arrangements and previous benefit status.
