It depends. The single, universal allowance for each dependent child up to the age of 21, the measure that combines a number of interventions into a single benefit to support families with children since March 2022, will be subject to some changes in 2024. For now, the Meloni government is considering triggering some increases for the second and third child, but solutions are also being worked on to expand the beneficiary range. What does this mean in practical terms? So what are the possible changes to the measure in 2024? Let’s clarify.
The first step towards reaching a wider audience is to remove government bonds, which are an indicator of the family’s economic situation, from the ISEE calculation. They will be excluded up to a maximum of 50 thousand euros. Also within the limits of the same threshold, other securities guaranteed by the State, such as passbooks and postal checks, are eliminated. Excluding government bonds from the ISEE calculation reduces the ISEE itself and therefore increases the benefits of those who qualify, especially in relation to the single allowance. But the white paper on the latest budget law reveals that most of this aid delivers “absolutely low” levels of ISEE and that their impact is negligible, both in terms of public finances and access to or expansion of benefits.
However, there is a problem with the single allowance for families because, by the way, the European Commission has initiated an infringement procedure against our country for the failure to provide the single allowance if requested by parents who do not reside in Italy. for at least two years and not living with children. Brussels opened the case in a formal notification letter in February 2023. Italy’s response came last June but apparently did not satisfy the European Commission. Sending the reasoned opinion is therefore the next step in the infringement procedure, which precedes referral to the European Court of Justice and possible sanctions.
According to Brussels, Italy’s allowance for children in need of care does not comply with the EU’s rules on “coordination of social security” and “free movement of workers”. According to these rules, an EU citizen moving from one Member State to another must enjoy the same social rights as citizens of the country to which he moves. In particular, “the Social Security Coordination Regulation (…) prohibits any residence requirement for the purpose of receiving social security benefits such as family benefits”.
However, Italian law provides that the allowance for dependent children is granted to persons who have resided in our country for at least two years and only if the parent lives in the same family unit with the children. According to the European Commission, this is discrimination that must be eliminated by law. The government now has two months to justify the delay in complying with EU rules. To avoid sanctions, the Meloni government may decide to provide a single allowance to these two categories, thus expanding the scope of those eligible for this allowance without restrictions on residence and cohabitation.
In any case, those who have already benefited from the allowance as of March 2023 do not need to renew their applications because INPS will correspond automatically. This amount varies between a minimum of 54.05 euros and a maximum of 189.20 euros per month for each minor dependent. However, for dependent children between the ages of 18 and 21, the amounts vary from a minimum of 27 euros to a maximum of 91.90 euros per month. It is paid to all families, regardless of the working status of the parents (unemployed, unemployed, recipients of citizenship income, employees, self-employed and retired people) and without any income limit. There will be no news about these cornerstones next year.
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Source: Today IT
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
