At the start Purchasing card: from January 1, 2023 Forms are downloadable online question. The recipients of the contribution for food, health care and electricity and gas bills are citizens aged 65 or over and parents of children under 3 who meet special requirements. But how does it work? Here's everything you need to know about the 2023 Purchasing Card and how to apply.
What is the Purchasing Card? And where can it be used?
The Purchasing Card, also known as social card, is a tool that allows households of citizens aged 65 or over and parents of children under the age of three to obtain a contribution of 80 euros every two months for food and health expenses and for the payment of electricity and gas bills.
"Recipients of the grant can make purchases using the electronic payment card at food shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, parapharmacies, as well as pay electricity and gas bills at post offices and take advantage of the subsidized electricity tariff", explains the ministry in a statement.
What are the requirements?
For the over 65 years the requirements are as follows:
- be in possession of Italian citizenship; or the citizenship of a State belonging to the European Union; or family member of an Italian citizen, not a citizen of a member state of the European Union, holder of the right of residence or the right of permanent residence; or family member of an EU citizen, not a citizen of a Member State of the European Union, holder of the right of residence or the right of permanent residence; or foreign citizen in possession of the EC residence permit for long-term residents; or political refugee or holder of a subsidiary position; be a citizen duly registered in the Registry of the Resident Population (municipal Registry);
- have pension treatments o welfare who, combined with their own income, are of less than 7.640,18 euros per year or less than 10.186,91 euros per year, if aged 70 or over;
- Having a ISEE (Indicator of the equivalent economic situation), valid, less than 7.640,18 euros;
- do not be, alone or together with the spouse indicated in table 4: owner(s) of more than one domestic electricity user;
- owner(s) of non-domestic electricity users;
- holder(s) of more than one gas user; owner(s) of more than one vehicle;
- owner/s, with a share greater than or equal to 25%, of more than one property for residential use;
- owner/s, with a share greater than or equal to 10%, of non-residential properties, including those located outside the territory of the Italian Republic or in cadastral category C7;
- owner(s) of movable assets, as recorded in the ISEE declaration, exceeding 15.000 euros or, if held abroad and not already indicated in the ISEE declaration, not exceeding the same threshold once converted into euros at the exchange rate in effect on 31 December of the year preceding the presentation of the ISEE declaration.
- not to benefit from meals insured by the State or by other public administrations as a patient in a long-term care institution or a prisoner of confinement.
For those who have children who are less than 3 years old the requirements are:
- be in possession of Italian citizenship; or the citizenship of a State belonging to the European Union; or family member of an Italian citizen, not a citizen of a member state of the European Union, holder of the right of residence or the right of permanent residence; or family member of an EU citizen, not a citizen of a Member State of the European Union, holder of the right of residence or the right of permanent residence; or foreign citizen in possession of the EC residence permit for long-term residents; or political refugee or holder of a subsidiary position;
- be a citizen duly registered in the Registry of the Resident Population (municipal Registry);
- Having a ISEE (Indicator of the equivalent economic situation), valid, less than 7.640,18 euros;
- not be, alone or together with the parental authority/custody subject and the other parental authority/custody subject: owner(s) of more than one domestic electricity utility;
- owner(s) of more than one non-domestic electricity user;
- holder(s) of more than two gas users; owner(s) of more than two motor vehicles;
- owner/s, with a share greater than or equal to 25%, of more than one property for residential use;
- owner/s, with a share greater than or equal to 10%, of non-residential properties, including those located outside the territory of the Italian Republic or in cadastral category C7;
- owner/s of movable assets, as recorded in the ISEE declaration, exceeding 15.000 euros or, if held abroad and not already indicated in the ISEE declaration, not exceeding the same threshold once converted into euros at the exchange rate in force on 31 December of the year preceding the presentation of the ISEE declaration.
Purchasing Card 2023: how to apply
The Purchasing Card can be requested in the Post offices presenting the inquiry form with the related documentation. On the website of the Ministry of Economy and Finance are available i forms. The data to be entered include: fiscal Code, place of residence and the extremes of a identification document currently valid. Before applying, check whether or not you fall within the permitted pension and income limits.
Anyone who has obtained the social card in recent years and continues to meet the requirements, will be able to take advantage of the benefit without making one new question.
Le associations who have signed the agreement with the ministries are: Confcommercio; Confcooperative-Federconsumo; Confederation of Free Italian Artisan Associations; National Confederation of Crafts and Small and Medium Enterprises; Confesercenti; Federdistribuzione; LegaCoop; Confartigianato Enterprises; Fedefarma and Assofarm.
Once the request has been accepted, the recipients of the contribution will be able to make purchases through a electronic payment card at grocery stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, parapharmacies. As for the electricity and gas bills, they can be paid at the post offices, taking advantage of the discounted electricity rate.
