Separated parents’ allowance: a payment for those on incomes of up to 35,000 euros
Criteria set for receiving the €500-a-month grant
With the rules now in place, we are awaiting the launch of the platform and the date from which it will be possible to submit applications online. The decree issued by the Ministry of Infrastructure, in consultation with the Ministry of the Economy, which sets out the rules for the new €20 million grant provided for in the latest budget to benefit separated and divorced parents, has now been signed off. To apply for the grant, applicants will need to wait for the notice to be published on the ministry’s website.
End the ISEE
The most significant political aspect of the bill is that, unusually for a measure of this kind, it will be based on income criteria rather than the ISEE. The bonus will, in fact, be reserved for those separated parents who have declared an income of no more than 35,000 euros. This decision is influenced by the concerns repeatedly voiced in recent days by Minister Salvini regarding the effectiveness of the ISEE system.
The other hurdles
Income requirements will not be the only condition to be met. In addition to being legally separated or divorced, the parent must hold a tenancy agreement and must not own any property in the same municipality as the family home or in neighbouring municipalities, within a radius of 50 kilometres. They must also ‘be fulfilling their obligations regarding the care and maintenance of their children’.
The ranking list
The grant will be awarded on the basis of a ranking list. Priority will be given to those with several dependent children under the age of 21; those with a disability or who have children with disabilities; those who are ‘involuntarily unemployed’; and those residing in a municipality with a severe housing shortage.
A monthly allowance of 500 euros
The bonus will amount to 50 per cent of the rent paid, subject to a cap of 6,000 euros per year: that is, 500 euros per month. The funds will be allocated amongst the regions based on three criteria: the average number of separated or divorced parents (which is the main factor), the average regional income, and the percentage of local authorities with a severe housing shortage. Taking these parameters into account, it appears that the first regions to receive funds will be Lombardy, Lazio and Campania.
