INPS

The benefit can be granted to workers enrolled in the Compulsory General Insurance (AGO) scheme - which includes the Dependent Workers' Pension Fund (FPLD) and the self-employed workers special pension schemes for (artisans, traders, independent farmers, tenant farmers and sharecroppers) - including its replacement and exclusive schemes. It can also be granted to workers enrolled in the Separate Pension Scheme (Gestione Separata).

Start date and duration

Workers who meet the necessary contribution requirement:

• by 31December 2018 are entitled to their pension starting from the first day of the month following the one in which the claim was submitted if they are private sector dependent workers or self-employed. If they are public sector civil servants, the start date is the day following their last day of service;
• from 1 to 29th January 2019, even if the insurance periods are combined in accordance with Law 228/2012, are entitled to their pension from 1 April 2019;
• as of 30 January 2019 are entitled to their pension starting from three months after the date on which the necessary requirement was met (the so-called "window"), in compliance with the provisions stipulated by the pension scheme that makes the payments. If insurance periods are combined, in accordance with Law 228/2012, the pension payments start from the first day of the month following the opening of the related "window".

Staff in the school sector and at Institutes for Advanced Artistic, Musical and Choral Education (AFAM) are entitled to their pension starting from 1 September and 1 November, respectively, in the year in which the necessary requirement is met.

Requirements

Early pension require the termination of the employment relationship.  However, self-employed workers are not required to terminate self-employed work activity.

Workers who started paying qualifying contributions on or after 31 December 1995 may claim Early pension if they have accrued the following contribution periods:

In order to achieve this requirement, the contribution for any type of security paid or credited to the insured worker can be evaluated, without prejudice to the simultaneous requirement to reach a 35-year contribution period net of periods of illness, unemployment and/or equivalent benefits, if required by the pension scheme responsible for pension payments.

Workers with first contribution credits starting from 1 January 1996 may apply for Early pension if they meet the following contributory requirements:

In order to achieve the contribution requirement, any kind of contribution paid or credited can be evaluated, except for contributions for voluntary state life insurance. Contributions credited for periods of work prior to the recipient reaching the age of 18 years are multiplied by 1.5.

Alternatively, individuals for whom the first contribution credit was paid on or after 1 January 1996 may claim Early pension at the age of 63 years (to be adjusted in line with supplements in life expectancy), only if they have also paid and credited at least 20 years of imputed contributions and the monthly amount of the first pension instalment is no less than 2.8 times the monthly amount of the social allowance. From 1 January 2013 until 31 December 2015 the age requirement was 63 years and three months; from 1 January 2016 until 31 December 2018 the age requirement was raised to 63 years and seven months; and, from 1 January 2019 until 31 December 2020 the age requirement was raised to 64 years, as a result of life expectancy adjustments.

How can I claim?

The claim for Early pension  can be made to INPS on-line using the dedicated service.

Alternatively, claims can be submitted by:

• phoning the contact centre at 803 164 (free from Italian landlines) or +06 164 164 from mobile phones;
• by electronic services offered by patronage institutes and intermediaries thereof.