Retirements in schools are now permitted (pending the Budget Bill)

4. Application for resignation from service on the grounds of meeting the eligibility criteria for flexible early retirement, with the criteria to be met in 2024;

5. Application for termination of service on the grounds of meeting the eligibility criteria for flexible early retirement, with the relevant criteria to be met in 2025;

6. Application for retirement with recognition of the eligibility criteria met under the ‘women’s option’, where the criteria were met by 31 December 2021 or by 31 December 2022, 31 December 2023 or 31 December 2024, provided that the relevant personal circumstances (caregiver status and disability) must be in place on the date the pension application is submitted.

Applications for resignation from service have been accepted since 25 September. For teaching, educational and ATA staff, the deadline is 21 October, whilst for school heads the deadline is set for 28 February 2027. However, as this falls on a public holiday, the actual deadline is extended to 1 March.Within the above deadlines, applications for withdrawal may also be submitted by those who have already applied for termination of service due to reaching the maximum length of service, voluntary resignation, or continued employment to meet the minimum contribution requirement. This deadline also applies to applications to convert an employment contract from full-time to part-time by those who have not reached the age limit but have reached the service limit, with simultaneous recognition of pension entitlement as provided for by Ministerial Decree No. 31 of 29 July 1997 issued by the Minister for the Civil Service.

Pension applications must be submitted directly to the social security body either online, via the integrated contact centre (tel. 803164) or through a social security advice centre.

Those who have to decide whether or not to leave work early find themselves assessing which changes are already planned for the immediate future and what provisions the next Budget Bill might include.

Among the changes already planned is an increase in the eligibility requirements for pension benefits; for the old-age pension, these will rise to 67 years and 1 month from 1 January 2027 and to 67 years and 3 months from 1 January 2028.According to new forecasts by the State Accounting Office, from 2029 the old-age pension age could rise to 67 years and 6 months, reaching 67 years and 8 months from 2031. The 2026 Budget Law has excluded certain specific situations from this increase, including access to the old-age pension and early retirement for those enrolled in the compulsory general insurance scheme, as well as those covered by schemes that are either in lieu of or exclusive to the general scheme, who are engaged in particularly arduous and strenuous work – including primary and pre-primary school teachers and those in similar professions.

Early retirement for workers who started work at a young age, as referred to in Article 1, paragraph 199, of Law 232/2016, will also be subject to stricter requirements from 2027 onwards, with the qualifying period rising to 41 years and 1 month, and further increases from 1 January 2028 to 31 December 2028 to 41 years and 3 months, and from 1 January 2029 to 41 years and 3 months, with adjustments in line with increases in life expectancy (INPS, Circular 28/2026). However, there are also proposals to freeze these increases, and any such change has been deferred to the 2027 Budget Act.

Those who are eligible for the ‘Ape sociale’ or early retirement for workers who started working at a young age, and who have been granted recognition by INPS, may submit their application for termination of service in either paper or digital format by 31 August 2027, bearing in mind that the expiry date of the ‘Social APE’ pilot scheme is currently set for 31 December 2026 and any extension will be decided in the next budget.

1 – The seven models

From old-age pension to the women’s option

There are seven options available, one for each type of pension scheme: old-age/early retirement pension; ‘Quota 100’; ‘Quota 102’; ‘Quota 103’; flexible early retirement with eligibility criteria met in 2024; flexible early retirement with eligibility criteria met in 2025; women’s option

2 – The terms

The deadline for teaching staff and ATA staff is 21 October

Applications have been open since 25 September. For teaching, educational and ATA staff, the deadline is 21 October, whilst for headteachers the deadline is 28 February 2027. However, as this falls on a public holiday, the actual deadline is extended to 1 March

3 – The adjustment

Requirements for an old-age pension

As a result of the latest budget measures, the eligibility requirements for the old-age pension will, from 1 January 2027, rise to 67 years and 1 month; from 1 January 2028, they will rise to 67 years and 3 months, whilst from 1 January 2029, according to RGS estimates, they could rise to 67 years and 6 months

4 – Early-career workers

Height increase already planned for 2027

Stricter requirements are also set to come into force in this case from 1 January 2027: to retire early, workers who started working at a young age will need to have 41 years and 1 month’s service, with further increases from 1 January 2028 to 31 December 2028 to 41 years and 3 months

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