From 27 October to 19 November you can request the bonus: requirements, ISEE and amounts. Concessions for nursery schools also in Tuscany, Sardinia and Emilia-Romagna and how to combine them with the INPS bonus of up to 3,600 euros
Paying less, and in some cases nothing, for daycare is possible, in some cases. Just stay within your income limits and move in time. From 27 October, in Lombardy, you can ask Free nurseries Plus, the regional contribution which reduces the cost of nursery school for the 2026/2027 educational year. Together with the INPS nursery bonus, for families with ISEE up to 20,000 euros (the indicator of the families’ economic situation) the fee can drop to zero. Requests can be submitted online until Thursday 19 November at 12pm. They are examined in order of arrival and the tender closes early if the funds run out; therefore, it is better not to wait for the last few days. Lombardy is not the only region to have chosen this path. In Tuscany the applications are already closed, while in Sardinia and Emilia-Romagna the management is up to the Municipalities.
Free Nests Plus in Lombardy: who is entitled and how much you will save
In Lombardy Nidi gratis Plus intervenes on the difference between the nursery fee and what INPS already reimburses with the nursery bonus: 272.73 euros per month for those born before 2024, up to 327.27 euros for those born after 1 January 2024. The measure concerns public or private affiliated nurseries and micro-nurseries and is reserved for families with ISEE up to 25,000 euros. The aid changes with the ISEE. Up to 20,000 euros the Region pays all the part of the fee that exceeds the INPS reimbursement. Over 20,000 and up to 25,000 euros the support reaches a maximum of 100 euros per month. Families do not have to advance anything: the funds go from the Region to the Municipalities, which lower the fee accordingly. To apply, the following conditions are required:
- a child up to 3 years old enrolled in a nursery admitted to the measure (excluding waiting lists, pre-registrations and spring sections);
- a valid ISEE not exceeding 25,000 euros;
- a monthly fee higher than what INPS reimburses;
- at least one working parent, or unemployed with the declaration of immediate availability for work (DID) and the personalized service agreement (PSP) signed with the employment centre.
How to apply for free Nests Plus from 27 October to 19 November
Before we begin two checks are needed. The first: that the structure is among those participating, which can be consulted on Notices and Services, the portal of the Lombardy Region. If the nursery is private, the child’s place must be among those in agreement with the Municipality. The second concerns nurseries outside the municipality of residence: it is necessary to make sure that the municipality where the nursery is located reserves the discounts linked to the ISEE also for those who live elsewhere. Otherwise you will not be able to access the measure, so it is best to ask directly at the Municipality. The application is completed exclusively onlinelogging in with SPID, CRS, CNS or CIE. No work certificate to upload: the system verifies the parent’s position starting from the tax code. For self-employed people, the only precaution is to enter the VAT number correctly.
The decisive step is sending to the protocol: the request is valid only when it is sent and the confirmation email arrives, and from that moment it can no longer be corrected. If two siblings go to nursery, two separate requests are needed, preferably if presented by the same parent. Submission alone does not ensure admission: response arrives within 90 days.
Free nursery schools in Tuscany, Sardinia and Emilia-Romagna: what’s changing
Tuscany. The tender, part of the Giovanisì project, is closed: the autumn reopening expired on 26 October at 6pm. The regional contribution reaches up to 527.27 euros per month and, added to the INPS bonus, brings the discount up to 800 euros per month for families with ISEE up to 40,000 euros.
Sardinia. The contribution reaches 2,200 euros per year per child, in eleven monthly installments of 200 euros maximum. You need an ISEE of up to 40,000 euros, at least one parent resident on the island and the application for the INPS bonus already submitted or to be submitted. The contribution is valid in public nurseries and authorized private ones. The request must be sent to the Municipality where the nursery is located, which prepares a ranking in which the lowest ISEE takes precedence. For this year’s tenders, the deadlines have already expired in many Municipalities, but the dates change from Municipality to Municipality: it is better to check your own website or that of the Sardinia Region.
Emilia-Romagna. There is no regional call to sign up for. The Region has allocated over 38 million euros for the Municipalities, coming from the European Social Fund Plus, and it is the Municipalities that reduce the fees. The ISEE threshold is 26,000 euros, which rises to 40,000 in mountain municipalities and inland areas. The discount applies to municipal nurseries and affiliated private individuals. In many municipalities it starts on its own, using the ISEE already presented at registration. In others you need an application on the municipal portal, with different deadlines from city to city. General information on the Emilia Romagna Region website.
INPS nursery bonus 2026: amounts, ISEE and cumulation with free regional nurseries
The INPS nursery bonus is the common basis of all these measures. In Lombardy, Tuscany and Sardinia the Regions intervene on what remains after the national reimbursement, and in Emilia-Romagna the discounts from the Municipalities are added to the bonus. Without the INPS bonus, the amount that would have covered remains the responsibility of the family. In any case, the sum of the two aids cannot exceed the amount actually paid.
The INPS nursery bonus is due to the parent who bears the expense, to whom the bank transfers and receipts are made out. All it takes is one request, valid until the child turns 3; every year, however, it must be demonstrated that he still attends the nursery. The application must be submitted by 31 December 2026 on the INPS portal, with SPID, CIE or CNS or through patronage.
The amounts depend on ISEE and year of birth:
- born from 1 January 2024: up to 3,600 euros per year with ISEE up to 40,000 euros, but only if there is another child under 10 in the family. Without this condition the extraordinary increase does not apply and the standard amounts indicated below apply. With ISEE over 40,000 euros or without ISEE, the amount is up to 1,500 euros;
- standard amounts (born before 2024, and from 2024 without another child under 10): up to 3,000 euros with ISEE up to 25,000 euros, up to 2,500 euros between 25,001 and 40,000 euros, up to 1,500 euros above this threshold or without ISEE.
The reimbursement arrives in 11 months. Cash is not valid: the fee must be paid with traceable instruments, such as bank transfer, PagoPA or card.
