Authorisation for voluntary continuation for invalidity, old-age and survivors

Over the course of working life, events occur, whether related to the employee’s intentions or not, that temporarily or definitively interrupt work, and consequently insurance coverage. In this case, Italian law provides for the possibility to pay additional social security contributions, in addition to those already accrued, in order to reach pension eligibility or to increase it.

The following may claim authorisation for voluntary continuation:

• employed or freelance professionals who have interrupted or suspended their activities;
• persons entitled to invalidity allowance;
• members of foreign insurance schemes (EU Countries and affiliated Countries).

In particular, if the worker has:

• interrupted or suspended work due to unpaid leave (private reasons or illness);
• taken parental leave for voluntary abstention, time off for breastfeeding, or days of absence due to illness of a child aged between three and eight years;
• entered into a part-time employment contract.

Voluntary contributions paid for oneself and one’s dependent family members, may be shown as expenses in the tax return (Unified Tax Return form or form 730) with a reduction in the total income on which tax is determined.

The worker may not receive authorisation if they:

• carry out activities as an employee registered with INPS or with other forms of compulsory social security;
• receive a personal pension (old age, seniority, incapacity) borne by the Dependent workers’ Pension Fund or other forms of social security;
• carry out self-employed work (artisan, trader, independent farmer, tenant farmer, sharecropper, co-ordinated and continuous collaborator, project worker, door-to-door seller, or freelance professional without a fund category) registered with INPS;
• are a freelance professional registered with the pension fund (engineers, lawyers, doctors, accountants, etc.);
• receive a personal pension (old age, seniority, incapacity) borne by the aforementioned managements or pension funds.

The claim must be submitted to the INPS online by using the dedicated service.

Alternatively, the claim can be made by:

• telephoning the Contact Centre on +39 803 164 (free from Italian landlines) or on +39 06 164 164 from mobile phones;
• or by using the telematic services offered by patronage institutes and intermediaries thereof.