Welfare

The new social card is unblocked: here is the amount, discounts and beneficiaries

It will be presented on 6 June, but delivery will have to wait until July. 650 million available. The card should go to more families than last year: 100 thousand extra in the estimates, 1.3 million in all. And the amount loaded will rise to EUR 460 per family: in addition to the EUR 382.50 already foreseen for the purchase of basic necessities, in fact, EUR 77.20 will be added from the petrol bonus (for the purchase of fuel or subscriptions for local public transport). But thanks to the 50 million left over from last year because not requested or not spent, the final amount could be even higher.

by Redaction Rome

1 June 2024

A student (L) shops for food products at a Biocoop food store before using a local digital currency known as "Gemme" to pay her bill, in Bordeaux, south-western France, on March 27, 2024. The endless hours spent waiting for a food aid parcel are now a distant memory for university students in Bordeaux, thanks to a Social Security for Food (SSA) card for their grocery shopping. (Photo by Christophe ARCHAMBAULT / AFP)

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The new social card, 'Dedicated to you', which can be used to buy essential foodstuffs, but also fuel and season tickets for local public transport, is on its way. Like last year, it is intended for Italian families in difficulty (with Isee not exceeding 15 thousand euro). Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida announced that it will be presented on 6 June, two days before the European elections. In July, the cards will be distributed, to be collected at post offices throughout Italy. It seems that the amount charged could be more substantial than the 460 euro envisaged by the budget law, and the percentage discount on the purchase of products could also exceed 15 per cent.

Pending implementation decree

In fact, it had been said in recent months that the implementing decree (four ministries have to sign it: Agriculture in agreement with Mef, Labour and Enterprise), necessary to kick off the delivery of the cards, should have arrived by last May. Also because the amount loaded on the cards distributed in 2023 could no longer be spent from 15 March onwards. The renewal of the card was decided in the Budget Law. with 600 million (compared to 500 million in 2023) allocated for 2024.

Amount over 460 euro

That is why the card should go to more families, 100 thousand extra in the estimates, 1.3 million in all. And the amount loaded will rise to EUR 460 per family: to the EUR 382.50 already provided last year for the purchase of basic necessities, in fact, EUR 77.20 will be added from the petrol bonus (for the purchase of fuel or season tickets for local public transport). But thanks to the 50 million left over from last year because it was not requested or spent, the final amount could be even higher.

The discount debate

There has been some tension between the representatives of distribution, with whom an agreement must be signed in order to make the cards operational, and Minister Lollobrigida. The clash revolves around the 15% discount that the minister wants to apply to those who buy with the card, as happened last year. That discount - Coop, Conad, Confcommercio, Confesercenti; Federdistribuzione explain - is not compensated by the increase in receipts. And some have pointed out that it is too high: now that inflation has fallen, traders risk losing out. That is why they are insisting with Lollobrigida to remove the discount or lower it. Instead, the minister wants to raise it, or at most leave it variable.

Card beneficiaries

The beneficiaries of the measure are families with an Isee that does not exceed 15,000 euro. However, not only singles and childless couples are excluded, but also the recipients of other state aid, such as NASpI, Dis-Coll, Assegno di inclusione, mobility allowance, solidarity funds for income integration, redundancy fund and any other form of wage supplement for voluntary unemployment

Card distributed in July in post offices

While the card will be presented on 6 June, delivery will have to wait until July. The distribution is entrusted to the municipalities (which will send a text message to the beneficiaries) and to Poste Italiane. Last year it started on 18 July. To collect the card, it is necessary to present the communication received from the municipality of residence, which contains the matching of the beneficiary's tax code with the code of the assigned card. It is not necessary to submit an application to obtain the Dedicata a te card. It is the Inps that takes care of identifying potential beneficiaries, on the basis of the tax returns in its possession. A fundamental condition for receiving it is therefore to present all the documentation on one's income situation

The list of purchasable foods

In the absence of any indication to the contrary, the list of foods that can be purchased with the card should be the same as in 2023. There are 23 items included in the list of foods that can be purchased with the card. Among them are: pork, chicken, beef, turkey, goat and rabbit meat, fish, fresh or processed vegetables, canned and peeled tomatoes, milk, yoghurt, cheese, eggs, seed and olive oil, biscuits, bakery and pastry products, flour, pasta, cereals such as rice, barley, spelt, maize, oats, malt, pulses, seeds, fruit, honey, sugar, cocoa powder and chocolate, water, wine vinegar, baby food and other baby food, as well as products needed for hygiene (such as washing-up liquid). Excluding tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks.