Inclusion Allowance

The "Assegno di inclusione" ("Inclusion Allowance") has been available since January 1sr, 2024 as an economic support and social and professional inclusion measure. It is conditional upon meeting residency, citizenship and domicile requirements, testing means using the ISEE indicator and assessing the income situation of the beneficiary and their household and participation in a personalised social and employment support and inclusion programme.

Who it is for

The Inclusion Allowance is paid to households that have at least one member meeting the following conditions:

  • with a disability;
  • a minor;
  • at least 60 years of age;
  • in a situation of adversity and included in a care and assistance programme of local healthcare services certified by the public administration. 

To determine the benefit due, an equivalence scale is used to account for the members meeting the conditions above. This includes members providing care for children under the age of three, three or more minor children, or members who have disabilities or are not self-sufficient.

The various requirements

Citizenship, residency and domicile requirements

At the time of application, and throughout the period in which the benefit is provided, the person applying for the measure must be:

  • a European citizen or a family member of a European citizen, who must hold a right of residency or right of permanent residency, or be a citizen of third countries in possession of an EU residency permit for long-term residents, or granted international protected status (political asylum or subsidiary protection), as governed by Legislative Decree No. 251 of 19 November 2007;
  • a resident in Italy for at least five years, with the last two being consecutive. Residency in Italy is also required for the members of the household who fall within the parameters of the equivalence scale.

Personal requirements

  • Candidates may not be subject to personal precautionary measures or prevention measures;
  • Candidates may not be subject to a final judgment of conviction or judgment passed pursuant to Articles 444 and following of the Italian Code of Criminal Procedure (a "plea bargain agreement") dated within ten years of the application. 

Economic requirements

In addition, the applicant's household must collectively meet the following requirements:

  • valid ISEE indicator of no more than €9,360; in the case of households with minors, the ISEE indicator is calculated pursuant to Art. 7 of Decree of the President of the Councils of Ministers No. 159 of 2013;
  • a household income value less than the threshold of €6,000 per year, multiplied by the corresponding parameter of the equivalence scale discussed below. If the household is made up of individuals all of age 67 or over, or of individuals of age 67 or over and of other family members all in conditions of severe disability or lack of self-sufficiency, as defined in Annex 3 to Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers No. 159/2013, the household income threshold is set at €7,560 per year, multiplied by the corresponding parameter of the equivalence scale.
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Asset requirements

  • The value for municipal property tax purposes of real-estate assets (other than the first home, the value of which must not exceed €150,000) must not exceed €30,000;
  • The value of moveable property not in exceed €6,000, with an additional €2,000 allowed for each household member after the first, up to a maximum of €10,000. This limit can be increased by an extra €1,000 for each minor beyond the second. These limits are further augmented by €5,000 per household member with a disability and €7,500 per member with a severe disability or lack of self-sufficiency.
  • No member of the household must be the registered owner in any capacity or have full possession of automobiles with an engine displacement of over 1600 CC or motorcycles with an engine displacement of over 250 CC, registered for the first time in the 36 months prior to the application, excluding automobiles and motorcycles for which tax benefits are available for disabled persons in accordance with applicable legislation;
  • No member must be the registered owner in any capacity or have full possession of ships, leisure sea vessels or aircraft of any kind.

Additional conditions

A household is not eligible for the Inclusion Allowance if one of its members, who is subject to the obligations governed by Art. 6, para. 4, is unemployed as a result of voluntary resignation, in the 12 months after the date of resignation, except for resignation for just cause, and consensual termination of an employment contract within the framework of the conciliation procedure governed by Art. 7 of Law No. 604 of 15 July 1966.

The equivalence scale

The parameter of the equivalence scale governed by Art. 2, para. 4, is equal to 1 for the household and is increased up to a total maximum of 2.2, further increased to 2.3 in the presence of members in conditions of severe disability or lack of self-sufficiency, as follows:

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Members are not accounted for in the equivalence scale when residing in facilities entirely funded by the public and during interruptions in their residency in Italy. This exclusion applies if they are absent for a consecutive period of two months or longer, or for a total of four months or more within an 18-month period, even if the absences are not consecutive.

Economic benefit

The amount of the Inclusion Allowance is composed of a supplement to household income up to €6,000 a year, or €7,560 a year if the household is composed of individuals all of 67 years of age or over, or of individuals of 67 years of age or over and other family members who all suffer from conditions of severe disability and lack of self-sufficiency, multiplied by the corresponding parameter of the equivalence scale. To this amount may be added a contribution towards rent for the property in which the household resides, equal to the amount of the annual rent established in the rental agreement (where duly registered), up to a maximum of €3,360 per year, or €1,800 per year if the household is composed of individuals of 67 years of age or over, or of individuals of 67 years of age or over and other family members who are in conditions of severe disability of lack of self-sufficiency. This supplement is not relevant for the purposes of calculating the household income threshold.

In any case, the economic benefit cannot be less than €480 per year.

The benefit is disbursed monthly for a consecutive period of no more than 18 months and may be renewed, with a suspension of one month, for an additional 12 months. A suspension of one month always applies at the end of renewal periods.

Inclusion Card

The economic benefit is disbursed through a topped-up electronic payment instrument known as the "Inclusion Card" ("Carta di inclusione") or "ADI Card". In addition to meeting purchasing card needs, the card may be used to make cash withdrawals of up to €100 per month per individual, multiplied by the equivalence scale, as well as a monthly bank transfer to the landlord indicated in the rental agreement.

How to apply for it

The Inclusion Allowance is applied for via the INPS’ remote channels. The INPS approves it after verifying that the applicable requirements and conditions have been met. The application may also be submitted to organisations providing advice and social assistance ("patronati") and tax assistance centres after an agreement has been signed with the INPS.

Change due to employment

If one or more members of the household begin employment, the increased employment income collected is not counted towards figuring the economic benefit, within the maximum limit of €3,000 gross per year, whereas the employment income exceeding this threshold is counted towards figuring the economic benefit from the month after that in which the change occurs. Within 30 days of beginning employment, the worker must report it to INPS, which in any case obtains hiring data from the compulsory reporting database. Disbursement of the benefit is suspended until this obligation is fulfilled, and in any event not beyond three months after the start of the activity, following which the right to the benefit is forfeit. 

The start of a business or self-employed work, whether in individual or partnership form, by one or more members of the household over the course of disbursement of the Inclusion Allowance must be reported to the INPS by the day before it begins on pain of forfeiture of the benefit. As an incentive, the beneficiary receives the Inclusion Allowance without change for two monthly instalments after that of the change of employment status, without prejudice to the total duration of the benefit.  The benefit is then updated every quarter in reference to the previous quarter and the income is counted for the part in excess of €3,000 gross per year. To this end, the beneficiary is required to report the income earned as the difference between the revenues and compensation received and expenses incurred in carrying out the activity by the 15th day after the end of each quarter of the year.

Other changes

Beneficiaries of the Allowance are required to report all changes affecting the conditions and requirements for initial and ongoing eligibility for the measurewithin 15 days of the occurrence. Failure to do so may result in the forfeiture of the benefit..

In the case of changes in households during the disbursement of the benefit, the interested party must present an updated single substitute declaration (DSU) within one month of the change. Failure to do so may result in the forfeiture of the benefit.

Mandatory course of study

Beneficiaries of the measure are subject to the educational obligations set out in Art. 1, para. 316, of Law No. 197 of 29 December 2022, and in Art. 12, para. 3-bis, of Decree-Law No. 123 of 15 September 2023, converted, with amendments into Law No. 159 of 13 November 2023.

Specifically, for Inclusion Allowance beneficiaries aged 18 to 29 who have not fulfilled the educational obligations, the inclusion agreement requires enrolment and attendance in first-level adult courses of study or other relevant courses of study.  obligation. Failure to comply may result in the forfeiture of the benefit."

In addition, households with minors failing to document their educational obligation within the framework of the inclusion agreement will not qualify for the transfer of the Inclusion Allowance.

Digital activation agreement

The INPS will inform the applicant that, in order to receive the economic benefit, they must register with the information system for social and employment inclusion (SIISL) to sign a digital activation agreement. The economic benefit begins in the month after that in which the applicant signs the digital activation agreement. Once the digital activation agreement has been signed, the members of the household who are beneficiaries of the Inclusion Allowance are required to participate in a personalised social or employment inclusion programme. The programme is defined within the framework of one or more projects designed to identify the needs of the household as a whole and of its individual members.

Social and employment inclusion programme

Beneficiaries must appear for their first appointment with social services within 120 days of signing the digital activation agreement. Thereafter, every 90 days, beneficiaries, other than individuals eligible for employment support, are required to appear before the social services or local assistance organisations to update their positions. If they fail to appear, the economic benefit will be suspended.

Social services carry out a multidimensional analysis of the household's needs in light of signing an inclusion agreement. Within the framework of this assessment, the members of the household between the ages of 18 and 59 who are eligible for employment and subject to the obligations to participate in the personalised social and employment inclusion programme (set out in Art. 6 of the Employment Decree) are sent to employment centres or parties accredited to provide employment services to sign a personalised service agreement. The personalised service agreement is signed within 30 days of when the members are sent to the employment centre or organisations accredited to provided employment services. Thereafter, every 90 days the beneficiaries are required to appear before employment centres or organisations accredited to provide employment services for the job for which the personalised service agreement was signed to update their positions. If they fail to appear, the economic benefit will be suspended. 

Members of the household of adult age who bear parental responsibilities are subject to the obligation to register for and participate actively in all training and employment activities, as well as active policy measures, however designated, identified within the social and employment inclusion programme. 

The following are excluded from obligations to participate in the programme:

  • Inclusion Allowance beneficiaries who receive direct pensions or are aged 60 or over;
  • members with disabilities, without prejudice to all targeted placement initiatives; members with cancer;
  • members responsible for caring for three or more minor children, assessed on the basis of the presence of minors under age three, or members of the household who have disabilities or who are not self-sufficient, as defined in Annex 3 to the Regulation set out in the Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers No. 159 of 5 December 2013;
  • members included in protection programmes relating to gender violence and female victims of violence, with or without children, who are under the care of anti-violence centres recognised by the regions or social services in protection programmes related to gender violence. 

Members of the household with disabilities or aged 60 or over or members included in gender violence protection programmes may in any event apply for voluntary participation in a personalised employment placement support or social inclusion programme.

Offers of employment and compatibility with the Inclusion Allowance

A member of the household who is a beneficiary of the Inclusion Allowance, is eligible for employment support and is under the care of the competent employment services is required to accept an offer of employment that meets the following requirements:

  • it refers to permanent employment within limits of distance within Italian national territory. Only if the household includes children under age 14, even if the parents are legally separated, the offer is to be accepted with the workplace is no more than 80 kilometres from the person's domicile or, in any case, can be reached within a maximum time limit of 120 minutes using public transport;
  • it refers to full-time employment or part-time employment of no less than 60% of full-time hours;
  • the pay is not less than the minimum salary amounts provided for by the collective contracts set out in Art. 51 of Legislative Decree No. 81 of 15 June 2015;
  • it refers to a permanent employment contract, including via an employment agency, if the place of work is no further than 80 kilometres from the person's domicile or can be reached in no more than 120 minutes by public transport.

Incentives for hiring

Private employers who hire beneficiaries of the Inclusion Allowance under full or part-time permanent contracts, or even under apprenticeship contracts (and, in the case of transformations of fixed-term contracts to permanent contracts within the maximum limit of 24 months), are granted an exemption, for each worker and for a maximum period of 12 months, from payment of 100% of total social-security contributions borne by the employer, with the exclusion of premiums and contributions due to INAIL, within the maximum limit of €8,000 annually, rebased and applied monthly. The above is without prejudice to the rate for calculating pension benefits. 

In the event of the termination of the contract of Inclusion Allowance beneficiaries within 24 months of being hired, the employer is required to return the incentive received, plus civil penalties, unless termination is for just cause or justified reason.

Penalties and forfeiture

Criminal penalties apply in the event of untruthful statements, presentation of false documentation, failure to report changes in income or assets or other information due and relevant for the purposes of maintaining the benefit. Unless the circumstance constitutes a more serious offence, those who render false declarations or omit relevant information in order to receive the Inclusion Allowance are punished with imprisonment for two to six years. Failure to report changes in income or assets, including following irregular activities or other information concerning maintenance of the benefit, is punished with imprisonment for one to three years. Those who are subject to a definitive conviction, including by plea bargain, for having illegally obtained the benefit, or for any other offence committed with criminal intent punished with imprisonment of no less than one year, forfeit the benefit and are required to return the amounts received. Following revocation, the beneficiary is required to return the sums and INPS orders the immediate de-activation of the Inclusion Card. 

In summary, the household forfeits the economic benefit granted if a member:

  • fails to appear before the social services or the competent employment service by the established deadline without justification;
  • does not sign the inclusion agreement or the personalised service agreement set out in Article 4 without an exemption;
  • does not participate, without justification, in training, re-qualification or other active policy or support initiatives, however designated, in which he or she has been placed by employment services, in accordance with the personalised service agreement, fails to abide by the undertakings agreed with social services within the framework of the personalised programme, or does not regularly attend a first-level adult training programme or other programme functional to fulfilling the training requirement;
  • does not accept, without justification, an offer of employment that has the characteristics set out in Art. 9 of the 2023 Employment Decree-Law;
  • does not comply with the provisions of Art. 3, paragraphs 7, 8, 10 and 11, or makes untruthful communications, so as to obtain a larger economic benefit;
  • does not present an updated single substitute declaration (DSU) following changes in the household;
  • is found, in the course of inspections by the competent authorities, to be doing unreported work. 

If the household has forfeited the benefit due to failure to participate in active policies by a member it may only submit a new application six months after revocation or forfeiture.