The disability reform comes into force throughout Italy: here’s what happens to the reports already obtained, the revisions and new applications and how the life plan works
Changes coming to Law 104 in 2027. From 1 January next year, the disability reform will come into force throughout Italy, closing the experimental phase started in the first pilot provinces. And what changes for those who already have a Law 104 report: will the visit need to be repeated? Will the benefits remain valid? And for those who are preparing to apply?
Law 104, reports already obtained: no obligation for a new visit
Who has already obtained recognition of Law 104 you can rest assured: the simple transition to the new system does not trigger any automatic recall. In practice, the final reports obtained with the old procedures continue to be valid exactly as before: same rights, same benefits, same services. There is no deadline linked to the entry into force of the reform and no need to submit a new application just because the legislation changes. Anyone entitled to work permits, leave or other measures related to Law 104 will therefore continue to receive them without interruption. The only advice is to check whether your report includes a review date.
Minutes with revision: who really risks a new evaluation
And so we come to second case, that of those who have a report with a review date already set. Here the summons for a new inspection may actually arrive, but not due to the reform: it simply depends on how the original report was structured. Reviews scheduled by December 31, 2026 will still follow the rules currently in place. Those who have a review scheduled for 2027 onwards will be assessed using the new criteria. However, there is an important guarantee: while waiting for the review visit, the benefits already obtained will not be interrupted, so there is no risk of being left without financial or welfare support.
What changes from 2027 for those submitting a new application
Then there is the third case, that is, those who, from January 2027, will have to start the assessment procedure for the first time. Here the change is more substantial: the process will be completely different from the current one. Everything will start from the introductory medical certificate, which the treating doctor will send directly to INPS electronically. It will no longer be necessary, as happens today in many situations, to also submit a separate application: the Institute itself will summon the person for the visit. Another substantial innovation is the unification of the evaluation paths. Until now, civil disability, blindness, civil deafness and disability for work purposes followed distinct and often poorly coordinated procedures. With the reform they will merge into a single procedure managed by INPS, with the aim of simplifying the life of those who have to request multiple related recognitions. The medico-legal criteria are also changing: we will no longer look only at the pathology, but also at how it concretely affects the person’s daily life and the obstacles he encounters at work, at school or in society.
Life project: the news that also concerns those who already have Law 104
However, the life project introduced by the reform concerns everyone. It is a personalized plan built together with the person with disabilities, designed to concretely identify the supports, services and adaptations necessary to guarantee full social and work participation. This tool is not reserved only for those who will fall under the new evaluation system: even those who already have a Law 104 certification obtained before 2027 can request it, without having to go through a new basic assessment.
