Italy’s 2026 Bonus mamme applications open: who can claim up to €720

Applications are open for Italy’s 2026 Bonus mamme, a payment of up to €720 for eligible working mothers with at least two children. INPS opened the application service on 20 October, with most applicants needing to apply by 31 December 2026.

The benefit is worth €60 for each qualifying month, or part of a month, of employment or self-employment during 2026. It is not €720 for every applicant and is not paid per child. A mother eligible for six months would receive €360.

Who can apply?

The INPS announcement covers employees in the public and private sectors and self-employed workers enrolled in the relevant compulsory pension arrangements. Domestic workers are excluded.

Applicants must have annual income from work of no more than €40,000 and meet the family requirements:

• With two children, the benefit runs until the month in which the younger child turns 10.
• With three or more children, it runs until the month in which the youngest turns 18.

There is an important difference for mothers with three or more children: they cannot receive this payment for months in which they have a permanent employment contract. A separate contribution exemption may apply instead. Having a permanent contract does not, by itself, exclude a mother with two children.

Check income and eligible months carefully

The €40,000 ceiling concerns the mother’s income from work, not the household’s ISEE assessment. INPS Circular 106 explains how different types of earnings are counted and gives examples of changes in family or employment circumstances during the year.

The bonus itself is not taxable and does not count towards ISEE. Parents unsure which months to claim, particularly after changing jobs or becoming self-employed, can ask INPS or a patronato assistance service to check their circumstances before submitting an application.

How to apply and when payment arrives

The application instructions published on 20 October direct applicants to “Nuovo Bonus mamme 2026” on the INPS website. Find it under “Sostegni, Sussidi e Indennità”, then “Per genitori” and “Vedi tutti i servizi”.

Online access is available using SPID level 2, CIE level 3, CNS or eIDAS credentials. Applications can also be made through a patronato or the INPS contact centre.

The normal deadline is 31 December 2026. Mothers who first meet the requirements in December have until 31 January 2027.

Payment is a single lump sum, rather than a monthly transfer. INPS plans to pay in December where processing is completed in time. Applications assessed later will be paid from January 2027 onwards, after the decision. Applicants can check progress and the outcome through the online service.

Illustrative image. Photo: Vitaly Gariev / Pexels.