The main clarification concerns the so-called pure contributory workers, i.e. insured persons whose first social security credit dates back to a date after 31 December 1995. According to the interpretation of the Ministry of Labour, implemented by the INPS, these workers cannot obtain the Social Ape on the basis of the legislation currently in force. The exclusion depends on the different rules governing old-age retirement for those who fall entirely within the contributory system. In particular, the problem concerns the relationship between the age at which the benefit ends and the requirements necessary to receive the pension allowance.
The Social Ape is an economic support intended to accompany some categories of workers until they reach the age required for the old-age pension. In 2026 this threshold is set at 67 years, but will progressively increase based on adjustments to life expectancy: it will go to 67 years and one month in 2027 and to 67 years and three months in 2028. For pure contributors, however, reaching the required age does not automatically guarantee retirement. In addition to having at least 20 years of contributions, it is necessary that the amount accrued is at least equivalent to that of the social allowance, a value updated annually. In the absence of this condition, access to the old-age pension is postponed.
For those who do not reach the minimum amount required, there is a second possibility: obtaining an old-age pension at 71, provided that at least five years of actual contributions have been paid. This age limit is also subject to adjustments to life expectancy and will rise to 71 years and one month in 2027 and to 71 years and three months in 2028. The difficulty arises from the fact that the Social Ape ends when the ordinary old age is reached and cannot be maintained until the higher one. A worker who does not meet the economic threshold would therefore risk remaining for some years without receiving either the allowance or the pension. A situation incompatible with the income support function for which the measure was introduced and which, according to INPS, justifies the exclusion of pure contributors.
The Institute's indications also have consequences on administrative procedures. The territorial offices will in fact have to reject the Social Ape requests presented by pure contributors, applying the new operating instructions. For this purpose, the UNICARPE-FELPE IT system has been updated, which no longer allows the investigation of the applications concerned to be completed favorably. The rejection must be formalized through the Webdom application, using the justification provided for this specific circumstance.
The allowance continues to be recognized, in compliance with the conditions established by law, to four categories of workers: unemployed people who meet certain requirements, people who care for family members with serious disabilities, civilian invalids with a reduction in working capacity of at least 74% and those employed in particularly demanding tasks. In 2026, the minimum age required is 63 years and five months, while the required contributory seniority is generally 30 years, which rises to 36 for numerous demanding activities and is reduced to 32 for some specific professions. For working mothers, there is also a reduction in the required contributions equal to one year for each child, up to a maximum of two years.
The INPS message also introduces a clarification favorable to domestic workers. When the employment relationship ends due to the death of the employer, the loss of employment can be assimilated to a dismissal for justified objective reason. The principle is based on the fact that the interruption of the activity does not derive from a choice of the employee, but from an external event which determines the lack of the conditions necessary to continue the relationship. Consequently, domestic workers and carers who find themselves in this situation can request the Social Ape, provided they also comply with the other social security and personal data requirements. The clarification concerns the death of the employer, which does not necessarily coincide with the assisted person.
The equivalent to dismissal for justified objective reason also produces effects on another social security measure. The INPS has in fact established that the same criterion must be used to examine the requests for early retirement of early workers, provided for by law no. 232 of 2016. Also in this case, therefore, the death of the domestic employer can be considered a cause of involuntary termination of employment, without prejudice to compliance with the further conditions required to obtain the treatment.
