Families relying on the 'assegno unico', the economic support scheme established for households with children, will face important changes and updates as 2025 approaches. The Italian National Institute of Social Security (INPS) has announced necessary steps beneficiaries must take to continue receiving this financial assistance without hiccups.
One of the most significant updates for 2025 involves the requirement to present the new ISEE, the indicator of the household's equivalent economic situation. According to INPS guidelines, beneficiaries who had previously applied for the 'assegno unico' do not need to submit another application; their existing applications will carry over for subsequent years. Yet, INPS has clarified, "to determine the amount of the 'assegno unico', it is necessary to present a new Dichiarazione Sostitutiva Unica (DSU) for 2025," as noted on the INPS website.
Failing to provide the updated ISEE by the deadline will result in receiving only the minimum allowance starting from March 2025. This minimum amount is set to rise slightly to €57.5 per child under 21 compared to the previous year, marking an overall increase of 0.8% to adjust for inflation. Families must act quickly, as they have until June 30, 2025, to submit the updated ISEE and recalculate any benefits owed to them retroactively for the earlier months.
"Without an updated ISEE, starting from March 2025, only the minimum allowance will be provided," warn INPS officials, emphasizing the urgency for families to act. Reports indicate delays in processing ISEE applications; beneficiaries might experience longer waiting times than usual, potentially impacting their financial support.
The current scenario shows families facing delays ranging between 10 to 15 days to receive their ISEE statements, up from the typical 3 to 4 days seen previously. Giovanni Angileri, coordinator of the national consultation of Caf (tax assistance centers), explains, "At the moment, 80% of the applications require about ten days for completion, but some take even longer." This increase can be attributed to system updates and high volumes of applications during the beginning of the year.
Families must also be aware of the various increases associated with the 'assegno unico' for 2025. Notably, parents with children below one year receive a 50% increase until the child’s first birthday, and families with three or more children also benefit from increased allowances. Those families with qualifying ISEE up to €45,939.56 can receive additional funds based on the number and age of their children.
Starting January 1, 2025, the new payment rates are expected to reflect these adjustments, doubling the amounts for children between the ages of 1 to 3 years, if qualifying conditions are met. Specifically, families with four or more dependent children will benefit from a guaranteed €150 monthly increase.
These changes are coupled with the recent budget reform which stipulates exclusions of the 'assegno unico' from the ISEE calculations for some state benefits, such as the New Birth Bonus and the Nursery Bonus, effectively allowing families to claim these extra allowances without them counting against their economic thresholds.
INPS officially stated, "from January 1, 2025, families no longer need to account for the amounts received from the 'assegno unico' when applying for future bonuses, thereby easing the pressure on lower-income families wishing to apply for additional support."