Enhanced Pension Benefits for Deaf Individuals
Following Constitutional Court Ruling 152/2020 dated June 23, 2020, and subsequent August Decree Law (DL 104, August 14, 2020, Article 15), INPS issued Application Circular No. 107 on September 23, 2020. This circular establishes an economic enhancement for disability pension recipients, including totally disabled individuals, absolutely blind persons, and deaf individuals, effective from age 18, provided specific income limits are met.
Eligibility Requirements
The increase applies to those who:
- Are over 18 years of age
- Currently receive pension benefits with personal income not exceeding €16,814.34 annually
- Meet the enhancement threshold of up to €651.51 monthly for thirteen months
Understanding the Enhancement
The maximum monthly enhancement is €364.70 (base pension €286.81 plus enhancement €364.70 equals €651.51). The amount decreases proportionally with higher income levels.
The personal annual income limit is €8,469.63 (calculated as 651.51 x 13 months), as the annual pension amounts to €3,728.53.
- Without additional qualifying income: full enhancement applies
- With other income exceeding €4,741: no enhancement eligibility
- Example: with additional income of €1,000, annual enhancement becomes €3,741, or €287.76 monthly instead of €364.70
Income Considerations
Family members' income (parents, siblings, children) does not count for single recipients. For married recipients, combined spousal income must not exceed €14,447.42. Both individual and combined limits must be satisfied simultaneously.
Excluded Income Sources
Primary residence value, communication allowances, accompaniment benefits, vaccination or transfusion compensation, family allowances, and war pensions are not counted.
Counted Income Sources
All employment income (dependent or independent, including occasional work), work grants, deaf pension, contributory pensions including survivor benefits, other disability pensions—essentially all income types, even if IRPEF-exempt or separately taxed.
Application Process
No application is required. INPS will automatically add the enhancement with November 2020 pension payments, including retroactive amounts from September 20.
INPS will calculate amounts using existing database records. However, discrepancies may occur, particularly regarding spousal income data. If you receive the enhancement but exceed income limits, contact a labor assistance office immediately to communicate your income to INPS and halt payments, preventing accumulated debt accumulation.
Legislative Background
Article 15 of DL 104/2020 (August Decree), effective August 15, grants totally disabled individuals, deaf persons, absolutely blind individuals, and recipients of disability pensions under Law 222/1984 access to the enhancement established by Article 38 of Law 448/2001 (the "million increase") from age 18 onwards, rather than from age 60, subject to respective income requirements.
Non-Retroactive Implementation
Effective July 20, 2020, eligible recipients may receive treatment increases up to €651.51 monthly (13 months annually). Enhancement is restricted to those meeting specific annual income requirements: individual income not exceeding €8,469.63 for unmarried beneficiaries, or combined spousal income not exceeding €14,447.42 for married beneficiaries. No retroactive effects apply before July 20, 2020.
Impact Analysis
The reform enables:
- Totally disabled individuals aged 18-59: pension increase from €286.81 to €651.51 monthly (+€364.70)
- Deaf persons aged 18-59: special pension increase from €286.81 to €651.51 monthly (+€364.70)
- Absolutely blind individuals aged 18-59: pension increase from €310.17 (non-institutionalized) or €286.81 (institutionalized) to €651.51 monthly (+€341.34 or +€364.70)
Recipients of absolute disability pensions under Law 222/1984 aged 18-59 also benefit, regardless of contribution seniority, if current amounts fall below €651.51 monthly, subject to income requirements.
Legal Provisions
Article 15, DL August 14, 2020, No. 104 (pending conversion to law): Effective July 20, 2020, Article 38, paragraph 4 of Law December 28, 2001, No. 448 is amended, replacing "aged sixty years or older" with "aged over eighteen years." Article 89-bis of Decree-Law May 19, 2020, No. 34 (converted with modifications by Law July 17, 2020, No. 77) is repealed.
Funding provisions: €178 million for 2020, €400 million annually from 2021, sourced partially from repealed provisions (€46 million for 2020) and additional allocations per Article 114.