Journay into the heart of the CAF | France 2 | Envoyé Spécial

The Family Benefit Offices (CAF) in Roubaix (North department) and Marseilles (Bouches du Rhône department) are among the biggest in France with 200,000 beneficiaries and almost a billion euros of benefits paid out. How does one live in France when one is entirely dependent upon these benefits? How does a single mother manage with two or three children and only 800 euros a month? Sometimes the temptation to cheat is too strong. Some real swindles have been set up. The CAF controllers have plenty of work on their hands. How does a family get to that point? We followed those who couldn’t bear to live dependent on the State and those who have ended up by getting used to it and even by being satisfied with it. On the other side of the counter, we shared the lives of some of the CAF employees who often have a real vocation in trying to satisfy the demands of the beneficiaries. This documentary was made by immersing ourselves into the lives of the inspectors, the CAF employees as well as the beneficiary families. A journey into the heart of the “those on the lowest echelon” and with whom we have shared a part of life.