The one-off contribution is due to pensioners with low allowances and incomes within specific thresholds. Here are the limits to be respected, who is excluded, how they are paid by INPS and what to do if they do not arrive on the December payslip
It arrives in December, directly on the payslip Christmas bonus for pensioners 2026: a one-time allowance of 154.94 eurosforeseen by the 2001 Budget and confirmed every year. It is not available to everyone: it is reserved for those with a low pension and low income.
Christmas bonus for pensioners 2026: who receives it and what are the requirements
The contribution is designed for those with minimum pensions or little more. The starting point is the minimum pension set by INPS, which in 2026 is 7,954.05 euros per year (611.85 euros per month for thirteen months). Whoever, putting together all the cashed checks, stays within this figure receives the full bonus. For those who rank just abovebetween 7,954.05 and 8,108.99 euros, the amount is reduced: INPS pays only the difference necessary to reach 8,108.99 euros. A pensioner with 8,000 euros per year, for example, will receive 108.99 euros.
Then there is a second requirement, the personal income ceiling: 11,931.08 euros per year. For married or civilly united couples the family income limit rises to 23,862.15 euros, but the personal limit also remains valid. In case of legal separation, the ex-spouse’s income does not enter into the calculation.
Christmas Bonus 2026: age and ISEE don’t matter, here’s what really matters
To get the bonus age and ISEE are irrelevant. Only income taxable for Irpef purposes counts, starting from the pension itself. Therefore, even those who have a check below the threshold but other income that causes them to exceed the limit can remain without a bonus. The measure concerns compulsory general insurance pensions and replacement or supplementary treatments paid by INPS or private funds. Welfare benefits, such as social allowance, social pension and civil disability, are not included, nor are the pensions of company managers and employees of credit institutions. It should not be confused with the fourteentha measure with its own rules that requires at least 64 years of age and takes into account the years of contributions. The two sums can still arrive in the same period.
Christmas bonus for pensioners: is the application necessary? How to get it
There is no need to submit any application. INPS checks the requirements and credits the sum automatically with the December pension. The bonus is not taxed and does not affect other subsidies. Anyone who believes they are entitled to it but cannot find the sum on the payslip can submit one request for reconstitutioni.e. a request for pension review. It can be done online on the INPS website, with SPID, CIE or CNS, or by contacting a charity.
Christmas Bonus 2026: can the INPS request a refund?
The Christmas bonus for pensioners can also be checked after accreditation. On 29 July 2026, the INPS announced that it had ordered the recovery of sums relating to past disbursements: those who did not meet the requirements were asked for the money back, which is deducted from the check in twelve installments, starting from August. It is therefore advisable to carefully check your income, especially if you have other income in addition to your pension, to avoid unpleasant surprises. It should also be remembered that the thresholds change every year (in 2025 the personal income ceiling was 11,672.90 euros), so the numbers from the past do not apply to 2026.
