Ape social 2017: here is the implementing decree with requirements and rules

After months of work at the Treasury and INPS, Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni signed the implementing decree of the Ape social on Tuesday 18 April. At this point the only thing missing is the green light from the Council of State, then the text can be published in the Official Gazette and therefore become fully operational. The first applications can be submitted starting from the month of May.

1) WHAT IS THE SOCIAL APE?

Unlike the market or voluntary Ape, which requires citizens to take out a loan with bank interest and an insurance premium, the social Ape is entirely paid for by the State. It is a social shock absorber designed to accompany a small number of people in economic difficulty until retirement. Its maximum duration is 3 years and 7 months: consequently, since from next year the retirement age will rise to 66 years and 7 months for everyone, the minimum age for accessing the Ape social is 63 years.

The measure is of an experimental nature and to know its fate we will have to wait at least for the next budget law.

2) WHO IS IT FOR?

Only four categories of people can apply for the Ape social:

I. Unemployed without social safety nets and with at least 30 years of contributions (those who are already collecting a social safety net, for example Naspi, will have to wait for this treatment to run out and, after 90 days, will be able to collect the Ape social).

II. Disabled with a reduction in working capacity of at least 74% and with at least 30 years of contributions.

III. People with at least 30 years of contributions who have been assisting their spouse or a first-degree relative cohabiting with a disability for at least six months.

IV. Persons who have been carrying out strenuous work for at least 6 consecutive years and have paid at least 36 years of contributions. The list of activities includes nursing and midwifery professions, kindergarten teachers, carers, porters, cargo movers, waste collectors, waste collectors and sorters, unskilled cleaners, extractive industry workers, construction and building maintenance, operators of cranes and mobile drilling machinery for construction, drivers of trucks and heavy vehicles, conductors of trains and traveling personnel, tanners of skins and furs.

Furthermore, to be entitled to the Ape social, one cannot exceed an income ceiling of 8 thousand euros a year, nor receive unemployment benefits. According to government estimates, the people affected by this new social shock absorber could be between 30 and 35 thousand this year and slightly less in 2018.

3) HOW MUCH IS IT?

The Ape social is disbursed by INPS in 12 months and is not subject to revaluation. Its amount is equal to that of the monthly installment of the pension calculated at the time of access, but it cannot in any case exceed the maximum gross limit of 1.500 euros per month. In other words:

– The Ape social amounts to the certified pension if this is less than 1.500 euros gross per month. The certified pension is the substandard treatment to which one will be entitled once the requirements have been met (ie when the shock absorber has completed his task) and is calculated at the time of the request from the Ape social.

– For all certified pensions exceeding this threshold, the monthly allowance from the Ape social stops at 1.500 euros gross.

4) WHEN CAN I APPLY?

The application must be sent to INPS between 30 May and 2017 June XNUMX to be included in the first useful payment window of the Ape social, which should open between September and December.

In 2018, however, applications for access must be presented between January 30st and March XNUMXth for the payment window that will start in June.

5) ARE THERE LIMITS OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE STATE?

Yes. The Ape social is recognized, upon request, within the annual spending limits established by the latest budget law. Here they are:

– 300 million euros for 2017
– 609 million euros for 2018
– 647 million euros for 2019
– 462 million euros for 2020
– 280 million euros for 2021
– 83 million euros for 2022
– 8 million euros for the year 2023