Against the cliché of dishonesty as an easy shortcut, here is a counter-current fact. There are very few “crafty people” in Abruzzo
The panorama of income support measures in Italy is experiencing a phase of profound transformation, with the transition from citizenship income to the inclusion allowance (Adi), introduced by the Meloni government. This transition not only led to a significant drop in applications but also highlighted the reduced presence of “smart ones” in the system, especially in regions such as Abruzzo.
#### A dramatic drop in applications
Enasc, Unsic patronage among the leaders in Italy for the management of social and social security practices, revealed that applications for the Inclusion Allowance as of 31 May 2024 were 39,480, with approximately half already accepted. It is estimated that at the end of the year, 50 thousand applications could be reached, marking a clear decrease compared to the approximately 130 thousand per year for citizenship income between 2020 and 2022. This decrease is interpreted as a result of the new, more stringent and selective procedures for accessing the ‘Adi.
#### Greater selectivity and advance checks
Domenico Mamone, president of Unsic and CNEL councilor, underlines how the change from citizenship income to ADI represents a real turning point in Italian social policy. Unlike the previous system based on autonomous user declarations with subsequent checks, the ADI requires in-depth preliminary checks through data cross-referencing and IT backbone to ensure the correctness of the information provided by applicants. These measures are intended not only to make the process longer and more selective but also to ensure that the benefits actually go to those in disadvantaged conditions.
#### A map of virtuousness: Abruzzo among the regions least affected by fraud
Despite the numerous scams that emerged at a national level in the period from April 2019 to the first half of 2023 – with sensational cases in several Italian regions – Abruzzo emerges as one of the most virtuous territories together with Trentino-Alto Adige and Molise. The Guardia di Finanza has identified a relatively low percentage of irregularities in the Abruzzo region compared to other Italian geographical areas where the reported cases have been significantly higher.
#### Challenges still open
Despite progressive improvements in the system of preventive controls on social benefits provided by the Italian State, numerous challenges remain to be faced in the fight against fraud linked to public economic support. These include the deceptive fictitious residences created by some individuals who actually live abroad or false tax declarations aimed at unduly obtaining such benefits.
In conclusion, while the season of controls on the illegal acquisition of income seems to be far from over on a national scale, Abruzzo demonstrates how a more rigorous approach in the provision of state aid can effectively reduce the phenomenon of the so-called “crafty”, thus confirming a positive trend towards greater equity and social justice in contextualising public aid to those in need.
