INPS

The increased pension contributions are intended for all public and private dependent workers suffering from complete blindness or with the reduction to one-tenth of normal vision in both eyes, even after correction surgery.

The recognition of the benefit is not credited to contributions to the insurance position, but effects a seniority increase not fixed in time, that becomes relevant only in relation to the settlement of pension payments.

The benefit must be granted, proportionally, even for periods of activity not exceeding one year increasing the number of weeks of work performed by a third.

The increase must be related only to the periods of activity.  Any periods covered by voluntary or imputed contribution, or deriving from redemption not related to the work activity are excluded. For this purpose, the periods of work performed at the same time when the required health requirement is met must be taken into consideration - even if prior to 26 April 1991, date of entry into force of Law no. 120 of 28 March 1991 - that can be evaluated for the settlement and reconstitution of pension benefits, effective after that date.

The increase must be attributed to the pension settlement. Consequently, the merging of insurance positions between different social security schemes (pursuant to Law no. 29 of 7 February 1979, and similar) must consider the increase due directly to the fund in which the aggregation of insurance periods is done at the time when the pension is paid.

The increase is not useful for the purposes of settlement of reversible pensions due to survivors of holders of direct pension starting before 26 April 1991 (entry into force of Law 120/1991).

The start date of the insurance of the workers benefiting from the increase must be backdated by a number of weeks equal to those corresponding to the increase in the qualifying contributions recognisable in the individual cases.

The qualifying contributions useful to determine the right and the amount of the pension benefit must be determined by increasing the amount actually held by the insured by a number of weeks equal to those arising from the increase.

Requirements

Blind persons falling the following categories can claim for the supplement:

• blind individuals;
• service impaired blind;
• work impaired blind;
• war blind.

How can I claim?

To obtain the supplement, a specific claim must be submitted by the interested parties or their survivors, enclosing appropriate documentation attesting the health conditions required by law.

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