The 500 euro social card is back, what it is and how to get it

The prepaid card returns to support the 'poorest' families: 500 euros available (from September) for the purchase of basic necessities and petrol

BOLOGNA – The ‘social card’ returns to support less well-off families: the prepaid card is worth 500 euros (40 more than last year) and can be requested with a ISEE at below 15,000 euros. The card, in this new edition, is called “Dedicated to you” and the money will arrive in September. The card can be used for various types of purchases, including shopping (but only basic necessities) and petrol, or for public transport season tickets.

THE DECREE

The decree that provides for the size of the cards was signed by the ministries of Agriculture, Business, Labor and Economy. In the text, it is said that “policies in favor of large families are increasingly necessary, also to counter the demographic crisis“. 600 million have been allocated for the measure in the budget law. Added to these are the 50 million advanced by the initiative in 2023.

THE REQUIREMENTS

The ISEE of less than 15,000 euros is not the only requirement to have access to the anti-poverty support measure decided by the Meloni government: the family, in fact, must be made up of at least three people, the members must be residents in Italy and no one must receive other support (such as redundancy pay or inclusion allowance).

HOW MANY CARDS AND WHEN THEY WILL BE OPERATIONAL

The money will be available in September, at which point the cards will become operational and can be collected at authorized post offices. In fact, the beneficiaries will be identified first. Here’s how: within a month of the publication of the decree, INPS will provide the Municipalities with the lists of beneficiaries. The total number of assignable cards should be 1,330,000, therefore 30,000 more than last year. The Municipality will inform eligible citizens of the issue of shopping cards for them. No applications or requests should be submitted online.