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Contributory increases for veterans
Publication: 06/04/2022
The pension increase for veterans was established in 1985 under article 6, Law 140 of 1 January 1985, to benefit individuals could have exercised the status of former fighter but who had not obtained the pension benefits established by Law no. 336 of 24 May 1970.
Dependent workers of the State and other public institutes who left the service between 26 June 1974 and 31 December 1979 can enjoy the pension benefit.
Survivors' pensions were also included in the benefit.
The benefit consisted in the assignment of a seven-year fictitious contribution period, which became ten for war wounded, war invalids and civil war victims. This increase was useful for the purposes of the right to and for the purposes of determining the amount of the old-age pension, seniority, invalidity and indirect pension. Moreover, the law provided for a reduction in the retirement age limit of three years and six months (five years for war wounded, war invalids, civil war victims), in cases where this limit was set for the right to pension (old-age pension).
To benefit individuals who could assert the status of servicemen but who had been excluded from retirement benefits under Law 336/1970, article 6, Law 140/1985 introduced from 1 January 1985 a nominal increase to the pension payments, equal for all and at the time of 30,000 lire (€ 15.49 monthly), for pensions starting after 7 March 1968.
Those who, instead, retired before this date, were recognised this increase only from 1 January 1989, under article 6, Law no. 544 of 29 December 1988.
The increase is intended for the following categories, provided they have not used or are not entitled to other benefits under Law 336/1970:
- veterans;
- partisans;
- war wounded and war invalids, civil war wounded and civilian war invalids, civilians who became incapacitated following deportation or internment;
- veterans returning from internment;
- orphans and war widows;
- refugees following the application of the peace treaty and equivalent categories;
- former deportees and former politically or racially persecuted under the former fascist regime;
- prisoners of the Germans;
- deserters acquitted for lack of evidence or rehabilitated;
- staff of the Italian Red Cross operating in specific war zones.
The increase does not apply to those falling under the patriots category.
The disbursement of the benefit relates, with the sole exception of the holders of welfare benefits, to holders of direct pensions of all categories, regardless of the membership fund.
The increase is granted only after the interested party has submitted a claim. For the first two years starting from 1 January 1985, this benefit was paid in the amount of 50% (€7.75 per month), and for the entire amount from 1 January 1987. The increase becomes an integral part of the pension payments and is subject to the regulation of automatic standardisation. If the pension is integrated with the minimum payment, the increase is not absorbed by the assimilation, but added to the total amount and, therefore, it does not exceed the amount of the minimum payment.
The increase already attributed to the direct pension is reversible for survivors, to the same extent as for reversible pensions.
The claim does not expire, except for the ordinary provision for individual payments. The increase becomes effective from the month following the submission of the claim for new pensioners or will have to be settled on the same effective date of the pension.
Considering the belated recognition of these benefits, the cases of veterans who died before this right was recognised or who in any case could not have applied to INPS are not uncommon.
At first, the INPS had denied the right to survivors who were collecting the reversible payments. Subsequently, following the judgment of the Constitutional Court 185/1990, the right to this increase was recognised and paid also to survivors at the same rate of reversibility and with reference to the effective date of the same.
The claim must be submitted to INPS online via the dedicated service.
Alternatively, claim can be submitted:
- by phoning the contact centre at +39 803 164 (free from Italian landlines) or +39 06 164 164 from mobile phones;
- by electronic services offered by patronage institutes and intermediaries thereof.