Family caregivers, Italy puts in place a first system of protections and some resources for 7 million people

The approximately 7 million caregivers estimated by ISTAT who in Italy take care of people in serious and non-self-sufficient conditions had been waiting for this for a long time, so much so that in 2022 our country had been 'condemned' by the UN for violation of the obligations dictated by the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Now to guarantee the recognition and protection of family caregivers comes the bill approved in the Council of Ministers after two years of work by the 'table' of 50 experts and associations set up by the Minister for Disability Alessandra Locatelli.

With the Ddl 'Provisions on the recognition and protection of family caregivers', Locatelli claims both the recognition of rights and (timid) economic support measures and the legal framework aimed at protecting and enhancing the role of caregivers in the family and society. But the minister herself admits that we are still only at a first, albeit important step: 'I cannot say that I am overjoyed, but I am happy about this first step, which is so important for the lives of so many families, whereas up to now nothing had been done,' she said when presenting the measure. 'It is an important law to start with because we have certain resources and a shared norm and we will work on this to improve the conditions and lives of each person. We have asked for urgent procedure for the process, we are counting on a shared path with deputies and senators, some of whom had presented valid proposals over the years that had never seen the light of day'.

And in the meantime, from the Fish-Italian Federation for the rights of persons with disabilities and families, comes the willingness to confrontation with the institutions and all the subjects involved, "so that the legislative path will lead to a result up to the expectations and rights of persons with disabilities and their families". "For the first time in our country, the issue of the family caregiver is being tackled in an organic way, overcoming a long phase characterised by announcements and initiatives lacking structural answers," says president Vincenzo Falabella.

The cornerstone of the law is the 'cohabiting and prevalent family caregiver who is with the person being cared for 24 hours a day', Locatelli explained. Hence the introduction of a system of four differentiated protections, graded on the basis of care commitment and cohabitation, to which the same number of profiles correspond. They will also serve to regulate access to the benefits provided by the law, with economic recognition - a maximum of 400 euro a month tax-free, paid every three months to those with an Isee up to 15,000 euro - reserved only for the most demanding role with at least 91 hours a week - as many as 13 hours a day - dedicated to a dependent family member. The other three profiles identify minor commitments up to care between 10 and 29 hours per week and only one of them contemplates non-cohabiting caregivers with a care commitment of at least 30 hours per week.

The resources - which are a knot if one only considers the number of potential beneficiaries - come from the last Budget Law: 257 million euro a year for 2026-2028, to which, however, admitted caregivers will only have access from 2027. For this year 1.15 million will go for the construction by next September of the Inps platform that will collect the requests for recognition of the role of caregiver, necessary to identify the number of beneficiaries of both economic contributions and other facilities.