ITALY - SOCIAL INCLUSION AND INCOME SUPPORT MEASURES

​In this article, you can read details about the social inclusion and income support measures in place at the national and local levels (by regional and local administrations), for people and/or families that do not have the minimum resources to live.

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WHAT ARE?
Social assistance is guaranteed in the form of economic benefits and services funded by the taxpayer, at both national and local levels, using the Regions' and the Local Authorities' resources, to promote social inclusion and income support based on the principle of social solidarity.

• The most important non-contributory service provided at the national level by the INPS is the Social Allowance (Assegno Sociale).
  
• The newly introduced Citizenship Guaranteed Minimum Income (Reddito di Cittadinanza) and Citizenship Guaranteed minimum Pension (Pensione di Cittadinanza) both replace the former Inclusion Income Support (ReI - Reddito d’Inclusione) to combat poverty, foster social inclusion and reintegration into the work of the unemployed. Entitlement is conditional on the beneficiary's income (means-tested) and pro-active job seeking.
  
• Reference is also made to the List of Regional and Local Services to give information on social inclusion, family and income support services.
  

 IN WHAT SITUATION CAN YOU CLAIM IT?
If you have insufficient economic resources, you can claim benefits to ensure minimum living standards.
Example of a non-contributory service provided by the INPS at the national level: the Social Allowance. This is a support service that has replaced the Social Pension since 1 January 1996 and is entirely independent of payment of contributions. You are entitled to it if you are in a situation of poverty.
Social inclusion support services promoted by the Regions and Local Authorities: at a local level, all Regions and Local Authorities are implementing social protection intervention policies within their own territory. The rules, types and income requirements set for the right to claim these services which protect you against poverty vary from region to region, and municipality to municipality, based on the resources which they have available.
WHAT CONDITIONS DO YOU NEED TO MEET?
Requirements for entitlement to Social Allowance:
 

• you must be at least: 67 years (age condition applying till 2026);
  
• you must be an Italian or EU citizen or a citizen of a third country who holds a long-term residence card or permit (at least 10 years);
  
• you must be habitually resident in Italy (subject to annual checks);
  
• your personal income (subject to annual checks) as an unmarried citizen, or collectively with that of your spouse, must be no greater than the limits provided for by law (for the year 2021, i.e. personal income EUR 5,983.64 and joint income EUR 11,967.28.
  

 The Social Allowance is not subject to taxation, does not revert to surviving relatives and cannot be transferred abroad. Therefore, you cannot receive it if you are resident abroad. Any stay abroad greater than 30 days will lead to suspension of your benefits until you return to Italy. Requirements for entitlement to the Citizenship Guaranteed Minimum Income and to the Citizenship Guaranteed minimum Pension: 
economic indicator (ISEE form) lower than EUR 9,360
real-estate assets, other than the home of habitual residency, not exceeding EUR 30,000; 
movable assets threshold based on family unit composition:
 Other welfare-based benefits or unemployment and income support benefit you may be in receipt of will be deducted from the highest amount of the Inclusion Income Support you may be entitled to.
For the social inclusion support services provided by local authorities, you must be resident in the region or local authority area you are claiming from, providing ISEE certification of your income or your personal income if you are disabled.
WHAT ARE YOU ENTITLED TO AND HOW CAN YOU CLAIM?
The maximum amount of Social Allowance you are entitled to be determined by the difference between the income limit fixed annually by law and your declared income.
Depending on your personal and/or joint income, your Social Allowance may be paid in full or reduced.
The monthly benefits amount is calculated by the maximum amount due, divided by 13 months.
The Social Allowance starts on the first day of the month following that in which you submit your claim, which may be submitted electronically only, by one of the following means:
Web: electronic services directly accessible to the citizen using a second level SPID (Public Digital Identity System) or a CIE (Electronic Identity Card) or a CNS (National Service Card) on the INPS website (online services);
INPS Multi-channel Contact Centre;
Employee organisations and Tax Centre: electronic services offered
The Citizenship Guaranteed Minimum Income and the Citizenship Guaranteed minimum Pension are granted on a monthly basis by means of a pre-paid card issued by the Italian Postal Service which may also be used for cash withdrawal, though not exceeding EUR 100 per month for each entitled beneficiary within the family unit.
For social inclusion support services, including monetary benefits and services in kind, provided by local authorities, and for more information on how to submit a claim, you can refer to the List of Services, available on your Region or Local Authority of residence's website.
JARGON BUSTERS
The local authority of residence: according to Italian law, this is the place where the person is habitually resident. Do not confuse residence with the dwelling which, on the other hand, is the place where a subject occasionally lives and has legal significance only in the absence of a place of residence.
In Italy, residence can refer to only one Local Authority, for the purposes of inclusion on the electoral roll and all other tax matters and legal benefits to which residents of a certain area are entitled.
ISEE: equivalent economic situation indicator (allows for assessment of families' economic circumstances and takes into account income, assets and composition of the household)
FORMS YOU MAY NEED TO FILL IN:
​You must submit your claim for the Social Allowance via the online procedure available on the relevant webpage.
https://www.inps.it/
For claims for social inclusion support services provided by the Regions and Municipalities, you must refer to the relevant Lists of Services.
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