The government is accepting applications for the 2026 Energy Voucher program to help ease the heating and cooling cost burden for energy-vulnerable groups. This year, the general energy voucher and the briquette-to-gas conversion energy voucher will operate on separate schedules, and eligible households can apply through the end of the year.

Application Schedule - General Energy Voucher (Online): June 15 – December 31, 2026 - Briquette Conversion Energy Voucher: August 7 – December 31, 2026

However, the application schedule may change depending on system operation status, and any changes will be announced separately.

Eligibility Criteria To apply for the energy voucher, applicants must meet both the income requirement and the household member characteristic requirement.

Income Requirement: Households receiving at least one of the livelihood, medical, housing, or educational benefits under the National Basic Livelihood Security Act.

• *Household Member Characteristic Requirement (eligible households):**
• Seniors born on or before December 31, 1961
• Households with pre-school infants and toddlers born on or after January 1, 2019
• Registered disabled persons, pregnant women
• Patients with severe, rare, or severe intractable diseases
• Single-parent families, households headed by children (grandchildren), and multi-child households

Separate Criteria for Briquette Conversion Energy Voucher Households that replaced their briquette boiler with a non-briquette boiler after January 2026 may apply if they meet certain criteria. Key beneficiaries include basic livelihood security recipients, the near-poor (second-lowest income tier), the elderly, disabled persons, single-parent families, and households headed by children.

Required Documents - Common: Energy voucher issuance application form - Infants/toddlers, pregnant women, patients, households headed by children, and multi-child households: Additional documents for eligibility verification may be required - Fee deduction method applicants: Electricity, city gas, or district heating bill, or apartment maintenance fee notice - Briquette conversion applicants: Supporting documents proving the decision for briquette conversion support from the Korea Energy Foundation or local government, and a boiler installation and construction confirmation certificate - Home-based foster children: Related confirmation documents - Proxy applications: Copy of the proxy's ID and a power of attorney (in-person only; not available online)

The government expects the energy voucher to serve as a safety net that reduces the energy cost burden for populations vulnerable to climate change impacts such as heat waves and cold snaps. Officials urged prospective applicants to check their eligibility, application methods, and required documents in advance and to apply within the deadline.

[This article was written with the assistance of AI. It was produced with AI assistance based on publicly available government data. Eligibility, support details, required documents, and schedules may change in accordance with policy revisions by relevant agencies, so please be sure to verify through official announcements. The applicant bears responsibility for final confirmation and application.]