The Senate has given the definitive go-ahead to the delegation bill for the fight against poverty. There were 138 votes in favour, 71 against and 21 abstentions. The provision aims to introduce the "inclusion income", a "unique national level" measure, with a "universal nature" and "conditioned" on the "proof of means” through the Isee and which, according to government estimates, could affect around 400 families with dependent minors, equal to one million and 77 thousand people.
An economic support linked to active employment policies: only those who join "a personalized activation and social and work inclusion project" will be able to access the inclusion income. Now the government will have to approve the decree implementing the delegation which will define in detail the requirements for access to the inclusion income.
Compared to Sia, the check should be brought from 400 to 480 euros per month, and are likely to be transferred to recipients in the form of prepaid card. In the wake of the difficult relaunch of active policies, whoever receives the support will have to "sign a pact with the community", which ranges from good civic behavior to the acceptance of job offers that can be endorsed by the regional branches.
“It is done today a historic step – commented the Minister of Labour, Giuliano Poletti – for the first time our country is equipped with a national and structural tool to combat poverty, the Inclusion Income (Rei), which allows us to gradually introduce a universal measure based on 'existence of a condition of economic need and no longer on belonging to particular categories (such as the elderly, unemployed, disabled, single parents)”.
Poletti also recalled that "the implementation of Sia continues, the Support for active inclusion, operational since September 2016, which has made it possible to test the new approach and which has already given concrete answers to around 65 families for a total of 250 people. Soon, thanks to the greater availability of resources (1,6 billion for 2017), a decree will be issued which will expand the number of beneficiaries, reaching over 400 households, for a total of 1 people".
"For what concern reintegration into work – added Poletti – the role of the Employment Centers will naturally be decisive, as they will be able to count on 600 additional personnel who, in the perspective of implementing the Rei, will have the task, in collaboration with the local social services, of promoting the job placement of the weakest people”.
Poletti recalled that the delegation to the government also provides for the rationalization of the various social services and the strengthening of the coordination of social services, to guarantee the achievement of quality standards in services throughout Italy. These are essential aspects of the Plan which serve to give effectiveness to the support and accompaniment interventions of the most fragile people. “On this – he underlined – it was essential to bring together European (PON Inclusion) and national sources of funding and to ensure active collaboration between the various levels of government and between these and private social actors: Ministry, INPS, Regions, Municipalities , Third sector".
“We are already far ahead – he concluded – with the preparation of the implementing provisions of the law, which we intend to summarize in a single legislative decree, in order to optimize times, making the exercise of the delegation operational before the six month deadline, to give an answer as soon as possible to citizens in difficulty".
