INPS

This welfare pension is intended for the deaf persons in financial difficulty with an income not exceeding the thresholds established annually by law.

Start date and duration

The service allows the citizen to forward the claim that triggers the process of ascertaining the health requirements.

If all the health and administrative requirements envisaged to be able to benefit from the financial allowance and the deafness protections are met, the payment begins during the month following the submission of the claim.

What am I entitled to?

The pension is disbursed within the limits of personal income established each year (for 2020, the limit is 16.982,49 euro) and, also, in case of hospitalisation in a public institution that provides for the support of the deaf.

The pension is disbursed for 13 months. For 2020, the allowance is 286,81 euro per month. The first payment considers the estimated income declared in the current year. For subsequent years, the income received in the calendar year in question is considered for pension calculations, whilst for other types of income, the amounts received in previous years are taken into account.

The pension amount, under certain income conditions, can be increased by a monthly amount provided for by law (supplement).

WITHDRAWAL OF BENEFIT

From 67 years the deafness pension is replaced by a social allowance.

Requirements

Deaf persons who meet the following health and administrative requirements are entitled to the benefit:

• aged between 18 and 67 years old;
• people with congenital deafness or acquired during personal development (up to 12 years) with hearing loss (equal to or greater than 75 decibels of Hearing Threshold Level of average between the 500, 1000, 2000 Hz frequencies in the best ear) that renders or has rendered the learning of spoken language difficult;
• are in need of financial assistance;
• have Italian citizenship;
• are foreign EU citizens listed at the registry office of their municipality of residence;
• non-EU citizenship and residence permit of at least one year pursuant to art. 41 of the Consolidated Immigration Act, not holding a long-stay permit;
• have a permanent and regular residence within the national territory.

The pension is compatible with any direct service, and with war, work or service invalidity. It is also compatible with direct invalidity pensions disbursed under the General Compulsory Insurance (AGO) for invalidity, old age and survivors of dependent workers, pension schemes for self-employed workers and any other dependent workers’ mandatory pension.

When can I claim?

Before claiming, the general practitioner must issue an introductory medical certificate to the applicant.

Starting 4 July 2009 (except for claims concerning worsening of cancer patients) no new claim can be submitted if the previous procedure is in progress or in case of a judicial appeal if the final sentence has not been pronounced.

How can I claim?

The claim can be submitted online to INPS through dedicated service. In the case of a minor, the login details must be those of the minor.

Alternatively, claims can be submitted via pension advisory institutes or via Italian organisations for the disabled (ANMIC, ENS, UIC, ANFASS) using their electronic services.

The confirmation process is complete after INPS has sent out the civilian invalidity report. This is sent either by registered mail with a return receipt or to a certified email (PEC) address (if provided by the applicant) and can be accessed via the on-line mailbox service.