Emergency income is likely to be a flop. Three weeks after publication in the Official Gazette of the relaunch decree, INPS has received around 240 applications. Few. Indeed, very few: the Government, in the technical report on the provision, had foreseen an audience of 694 households and the Parliamentary Budget Office had gone even further, which in its simulations had raised the bar to 851. As if that weren't enough, of the 244.355 requests received so far by INPS, around 39 have already been rejected.
It is true that to apply for emergency income there is time until June 30th, but at this point – barring a sensational (and improbable) surge in requests in the last two weeks – it is easy to predict that the measure will not help Italians as intended by the government.
Now, in theory emergency income is more than attractive: let's talk about a monthly contribution for May, June and July 2020 amount included between 400 and 800 euros depending on the family nucleus (840 in the presence of a seriously disabled person). They can cash it even foreignersprovided they have their residence in Italy.
So how do you explain such a failure? The reasons are different.
1) EMERGENCY INCOME: AN OBSTACLE CALLED DSU
First of all, a bureaucratic problem: to obtain the emergency income, a valid single self-declaration must be sent to INPS. Unfortunately, many do not know what's this, where is it o how to compile. Result: INPS has received many requests without Dsu and had to reject them.
2) ASSETS AND INCOME REQUIREMENTS
Then there are the requirements in terms of assets and income, obviously too stringent:
- Isee less than 15 thousand euros.
- Household income in April 2020 lower than the Rem amount.
- Securities (i.e. the combination of savings and investments) not exceeding 10 thousand euros in 2019. The ceiling rises by 5 thousand euros for each member of the family following the first, up to a maximum of 20 thousand euros. Only if there is a seriously disabled or non-self-sufficient person in the nucleus (according to the Isee criteria) is the limit raised to 25 euros.
3) INCOMPATIBILITIES
Finally, the incompatibilities: all people who already benefit from any other aid from the state, including the basic income and the 600 euro bonus, are not entitled to emergency income.
All these stakes have restricted the audience of the Rem far beyond the intentions of the government, which at this point could intervene to correct the shot. A first step could be the extension of the deadline for submitting applications (now 30 June). At the moment, however, the Executive is engaged in the States General of the economy.
