One of the pillars of family policies is the single and universal allowance. In the 25th INPS report it is presented as a tool capable of reaching over 6 million families and 10 million children. Especially in the South.
Economic supports like this, however, do not seem to make a difference on the reproductive choices of Italians. As the report states, financial incentives, especially limited ones, are not sufficient to offset the economic costs and long-term implications associated with parenting.
Single Allowance: families are decreasing
Italy is a country that is aging rapidly and must be able to reverse the trend in the birth rate, which is currently drastically decreasing, to maintain the system, or rather the services offered, as they are.
Changing the system to accommodate the phenomenon of demographic decline does not seem to be a prospect on the table, so for several years we have been thinking about supporting the birth rate through economic resources directed at future families. What we are looking for is not a cultural change, but to demonstrate to couples that, if they decide to commit to a path of parenthood, the State will remain by their side with long-term economic support.
It is precisely to respond to this strategy that the single and universal allowance was designed and increased over time. It is the main support measure for families with dependent children and in 2025 it distributed resources amounting to 19.8 billion euros.
Who are the beneficiaries?
But who do these funds go to? On the beneficiary side, there was a slight reduction in the number of beneficiaries, a contraction both in the number of families reached (6.3 million compared to 6.4 million in 2024) and in the number of children receiving the allowance (10 million compared to 10.1 million the previous year).
Geographical differences
A slight decrease, which in large numbers shows stability in the total number of beneficiaries. By comparing the data of those intercepted, almost 95% of potential recipients are reached (precisely 94.9%).
However, there are persistent territorial differences:
the Northern regions present a take-up level moderately lower than those of the Center (92.7% and 93.2% respectively) and significantly lower than the Southern regions, which reach a value of 98.8%.
Working parents
Another interesting data refers to the increase foreseen for families with minors in which both parents work. The increase in this case aims to help a better balance between work activities and care responsibilities, promoting access to work for both parents.
In the month of December 2025, there are just over 2 million families benefiting from these increases, with a clear prevalence of situations in which both parents are employed workers.
They access it:
- 66% of parents, both employed;
- 17% see one parent as an employee and the other as self-employed;
- in 3% of cases both parents are independent;
- in 15% of cases there are heterogeneous situations, with single parents;
- or couples in which one of the two is a pensioner or recipient of Naspi.
Attention: if the 4 million families have not received the increase it is because they either have adult children, or have exceeded the ISEE access threshold of 45,939.56 euros.
The effects of the AUU on fertility and female employment
We know that the demographic decline is not just an Italian problem: in all advanced economies, in fact, fertility rates have fallen below replacement levels. A situation that has pushed many governments to think about how to support families already formed or those in the making.
Financial support is not useful for those who choose not to have children, but is a tool for accessing childcare services, often for a fee, such as nursery schools or hiring support for home care.
However, it can have a negative indirect effect. In fact, in exchange for economic support, a system of reducing female participation in the world of work could be supported. If there is an allowance that makes up for the couple’s lack of a salary, they could choose to leave their job or give in to pressure to reduce working hours, favoring gender discrimination and the perpetuation of family dynamics that see women staying at home longer and fathers taking less parental leave.
In fact, the analysis states that:
the universal single allowance has produced a reduction in the probability of being employed for some groups of women.
Particularly for mothers who are in the early stages of their careers, therefore with a weaker connection to the labor market. Cases which, again according to the data, involve a difficult return to the world of work which remains fragmented for a long time. In fact, observing the data shows how the introduction of the universal single allowance has favored an increase in part-time work among mothers with lower incomes.
A phenomenon that characterizes not only women’s work phases, but also their access to retirement, causing what is called the gender gap. This is why the Single Universal Allowance is not the only support for fertility or women’s work; it is complemented by, to name a few, baby bonuses, nursery bonuses and women’s bonuses.
