Italy

I - The resources and income of disabled people.

  1. Are there specific legislative procedures for disabled people to enable them to have a minimum of resources ?
  2. Do laws exist in your country to enable a minimum of resources for people who become disabled during their working lives ?

II - Disability compensation.

I –THE RESOURCES AND INCOME OF DISABLED PEOPLE.

A) An average of 70% of blind and seriously partially-sighted people of working age are unemployed. Are there specific legislative procedures for disabled people in your country to enable them to have a minimum of resources?

Yes

  • If yes: what are these allowances?

Totally blind people and persons with vision no greater than 1/20 with a low income have the right to a monthly living allowance (1-pensione non reversibile per ciechi civili assoluti = non-reversionary pension for civilian totally blind people and 2- pensione non reversibile per ciechi civili parziali = non-reversionary pension for civilian partially blind people).

Give specific details of the following aspects:

 

  • 1 Criteria of eligibility
  1. Age.

    - Minimum:
    18 for totally blind people, no age limits for partially blind people
    - Maximum:
    No age limit

  2. Level of disability.
  3. 100% - total blindness (persons defined as suffering from total blindness are : those with no sight at all in both eyes;  those who have mere perception of light and shade or the movement of a hand in both eyes or in the eye with better vision; those whose residual binocular field of vision is less than 3 per cent)  and 80/100% “partial blindness” (Persons defined as suffering from partial blindness are : those  whose residual vision is not more than 1/20 in both eyes or in the eye with better vision, even with lenses; those whose residual binocular field of vision is less than 10 per cent.) The above definitions of visual impairments are included in Law n° 138/2001 “Classificazione e quantificazione delle minorazioni visive e norme in materia di accertamenti oculistici”.
  4. Nationality
    Italian nationality is not a requirement but foreign nationals must present proof of the legality of their residence in Italy
  5. Conditions of residence in the country.
    The applicant must be an Italian citizen permanently residing in Italy, a EU citizen permanently residing in Italy, or a non-EU-citizen who has been holding legal residence permit for at least one year.
  • 2 Financial conditions.
  1. Ceiling.
    - Is the allowance means-tested?

    Yes

    If YES, does the ceiling take into account the family situation of the person?

    NO

  2. Calculation of financial conditions.

    - If the allowance is means-tested, state under what conditions.

    The personal gross annual income of the previous year should not exceed 16.532,10 euros (2016 update)

  • 3 Amount of the allowance.
  1. Normal rate.

    - What is the amount of the allowance given to people with no other income, state briefly how the allowance varies according to other income or resources.

    The amount of the monthly living allowance (pension) for non-hospitalized totally blind people is 302.23 euros for 13 months a year (2016 update)

    The amount of the allowance (pension) both for hospitalized totally blind people and for partially blind people is 279.47 euros for 13 months a year (2016 update)

  2. Reduction of the allowance.

    - State briefly under what circumstances the allowance may be reduced.

    As mentioned above the amount of the monthly living allowance (pension) for totally blind people is reduced when they are hospitalized.

 

  • 4 Minimum wage and “poverty line”.

- In order to compare the situation in different EBU member states, please indicate the minimum wage (if this exists in your country) for a full-time worker, and what is considered to be “the poverty line”.

In Italy the minimum wage does not exist
The poverty line is under 1000 euro per month.
On the ISTAT website there is an online tool to calculate the poverty line according to some parameters such as age, residency area (north, centre, south), size of the  town/city where you live, etc. http://www.istat.it/societa/poverta/

  • 5 Payment of the allowance.

 - What are the organisations which calculate and attribute the allowance?

The allowance is paid by the National Social Security Institute (Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza  Sociale - INPS) .

  • 6 Tax treatment of allowances and fringe benefits.
  1. Tax. Is the benefit subject to tax?
    Yes
  2. Fringe benefits. Does this allowance accord any fringe benefits?
    No

B) Do laws exist in your country to enable a minimum of resources for people who become disabled during their working lives?

Yes

  • If yes : what is the name of the allowance ?

The ordinary invalidity allowance(Assegno ordinario di invalidità lavorativa -IO)is paid to any insured person whose capacity to work, without the assistance of an attendant, at tasks suitable for his or her abilities is reduced permanently due to a disability or a mental or physical infirmity or incapacity. The allowance is initially granted for a period of three years and can be confirmed after reassessment by the National Social Security Institute (INPS). — at the beneficiary's request — for further periods of the same length. After two successive renewals, the allowance is confirmed for life. This allowance does not revert to any survivors.

Specify by giving details of the following aspects:

  • 1 Criteria of eligibility
  1. Age.
    The ordinary invalidity allowance is paid to people under 65 who have been insured for at least five years and have paid five years of contributions, of which at least three in the five calendar years preceding the date of application. When you reach retirement pension age, the invalidity allowance is converted into an old age pension if a) you meet the insurance period and contributions criteria and b) you stop working (if you were in paid employment).
  2. Degree of disability.
    The insured is entitled to the ordinary invalidity  allowance, when having a disability which impairs his ability to work by at least 66%.
  3. Nationality.
    No nationality requirements
  4. Residency requirements.
    The applicant must be an Italian citizen permanently residing in Italy, a EU citizen permanently residing in Italy, or a non-EU-citizen who has been holding legal residence permit for at least one year.
  5. Other conditions, please give details.
    To be entitled to an ordinary invalidity allowance, persons must have been insured for at least five years and have paid five years of contributions, of which at least three in the five calendar years preceding the date of application.
  • 2 Means test.

No

  • 3 Amount of the allowance.

The amount of the allowance is calculated on the basis of the degree of disability and of the contributions that had been paid at the time of application.

  • 4 Attribution, payment of the allowance.

- Who attributes the allowance: State, local government, others, give details.

The allowance is paid by the National Social Security Institute (Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza  Sociale - INPS) .

  • 5 Tax treatment of allowances and fringe benefits.
  1. Tax. Is the benefit subject to tax?
    Yes
  2. Fringe benefits. Does this allowance accord fringe benefits?
    No

II – DISABILITY COMPENSATION.

A visual disability (blindness or serious loss of sight) entails additional costs which must be met. Is there a specific allowance in your country to compensate for these costs?

Yes

  • If yes, give the name of this allowance and reply to the following questions.

 Totally blind people are entitled to an accompanying person allowance (Indennità di accompagnamento per ciechi), and persons with vision no greater than 1/20 are entitled to a so-called special allowance (indennità speciale per ciechi parziali). These allowances are given on the sole grounds of visual disability and are not considered as being part of the income.

  • 1 Eligibility conditions.
  1. Age.

    - Minimum:

    No age limits

    - Maximum:

    No age limits

    - Duration of the allowance.

    Persons having obtained the accompanying person allowance or the special allowance can receive the allocation throughout their life

  2. Degree of disability.
    100% - total blindness (persons defined as suffering from total blindness are : those with no sight at all in both eyes;  those who have mere perception of light and shade or the movement of a hand in both eyes or in the eye with better vision; those whose residual binocular field of vision is less than 3 per cent)  and 80/100% “partial blindness” (Persons defined as suffering from partial blindness are : those  whose residual vision is not more than 1/20 in both eyes or in the eye with better vision, even with lenses; those whose residual binocular field of vision is less than 10 per cent.) The above definitions of visual impairments are included in Law n° 138/2001 “Classificazione e quantificazione delle minorazioni visive e norme in materia di accertamenti oculistici”.
  3. Nationality.
    Italian nationality is not a requirement but foreign nationals must present proof of the legality of their residence in Italy
  4. Conditions of residence in the country.
    The applicant must be an Italian citizen permanently residing in Italy, a EU citizen permanently residing in Italy, or a non-EU-citizen who has been holding legal residence permit for at least one year.
  5. Other conditions, give details.
  • 2 Financial conditions.
  • 3 Amount of the allowance.

- What is the amount of the allowance?

In 2016 the amount of the accompanying person allowance for totally blind people (Indennità di accompagnamento per ciechi) is 899.38 Euro per month for 12 months while the amount of the special allowance for partially blind people (indennità speciale per ciechi parziali) is 206.59 Euro per month for 12 months.

  • 4 Attribution and payment of the allowance.

- Which organisations attribute and pay the allowance:
State, local authorities, please give details.

The allowance is paid by the National Social Security Institute (Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza  Sociale - INPS) .

 

  • 5 Payment of the allowance.

The allowance is paid monthly for 12 months a year.

 

  • 6 Reduction of the allowance.

- State briefly under what conditions the allowance can be reduced.

The amount of the allowance is slightly reduced if the civilian blind person is individually assisted by a young fixed-term worker engaged in the community service scheme set up by the Ministry for Social Solidarity (volontario del Servizio Civile)

 

  • 7 Tax system of the allowance and fringe benefits.
  1. Tax system.
    Is the allowance subject to tax?
    No
  2. Fringe benefits.
    Does the allowance offer fringe benefits?
    No