Adjustment of pension eligibility requirements – clarifications from INPS Circular No. 28/2026

With Circular No. 28 of 16 March 2026, INPS provided a comprehensive clarification on how the increases in pension eligibility requirements linked to life-expectancy adjustments are to be applied in the 2027–2028 two-year period, in light of the provisions introduced by the 2026 Budget Law and the Director’s Decree issued at the end of 2025.

In particular, the legislative framework took shape in two steps. On the one hand, the Director’s Decree of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, adopted jointly with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies on 19 December 2025, confirmed an overall increase in retirement eligibility requirements equal to three months, with the ordinary effective date of 1 January 2027. On the other hand, the 2026 Budget Law (Law No. 199 of 30 December 2025) intervened not to change the amount of the increase, but to reschedule its application over time by introducing a gradual implementation mechanism aimed at mitigating the impact on workers close to retirement.

The 2026 Budget Law provides that the overall three-month increase is spread over two calendar years: in 2027 the increase will apply in the amount of one month only, while the remaining two months will apply as from 1 January 2028. Therefore, it is only from 2028 that the increase in pension eligibility requirements confirmed by the Director’s Decree will apply in full, reaching the total three months provided for.

INPS Circular No. 28/2026 fits within this context, summarising the new requirements for the main retirement schemes and, at the same time, identifying the cases in which such increases in pension eligibility requirements do not apply.

Old-age pension

For the generality of employees registered with the General Compulsory Insurance scheme, as well as with its substitute and exclusive schemes and with the Separate Management scheme, the old-age pension is subject to a gradual increase in the age requirement.

As from 1 January 2027, the retirement age increases from the current 67 years to 67 years and one month, without prejudice to the minimum requirement of 20 years of contributions. As from 1 January 2028, with the application of the remaining two months of the adjustment, the age requirement will be 67 years and three months.

The Circular also clarifies that, for workers whose first contribution credit accrues as from 1 January 1996, the already applicable rules remain in force, allowing access to the so‑called “contributory” old‑age pension with a minimum of five years of contributions, albeit subject to a higher age requirement. In this case, the required age becomes 71 years and one month in 2027 and 71 years and three months in 2028.

Early retirement pension

Similar effects apply to the so‑called “ordinary” early retirement pension, which continues to be independent of age but requires the completion of higher contribution requirements.

In 2027, the required contribution record is 42 years and 11 months for men and 41 years and 11 months for women. As from 2028, with the full application of the adjustment, the requirements increase respectively to 43 years and one month and 42 years and one month.

INPS also confirms that the early retirement pension does not take effect immediately upon meeting the requirements, but is subject to a three‑month deferral window, as already provided for under the applicable legislation.

With regard to workers whose contributions are entirely paid as from 1 January 1996, the Circular specifies that the age and contribution requirements for access to the so‑called “contributory” early retirement pension are also affected by the adjustment. In particular, in 2027 the benefit can be obtained upon reaching 64 years and one month of age, provided that the worker has a contribution record of at least 20 years and one month, while from 2028 these requirements increase to 64 years and three months of age and 20 years and three months of contributions.

Early retirement pension for “early” workers

The early retirement pension reserved for so‑called “early” workers is also adjusted according to the same timeline. With reference to the cases identified under Article 1, paragraph 199, letters a), b) and c) of Law No. 232/2016, the Circular clarifies that the contribution requirement is set at 41 years and one month for 2027 and at 41 years and three months as from 2028. This includes workers who accrued at least twelve months of contributions before reaching 19 years of age and who, at the time of applying for retirement, are in one of the conditions provided for by law, namely: unemployment status, ongoing assistance to a family member with a disability, or an assessed reduction in work capacity equal to or greater than 74 per cent.

In this case as well, the Circular notes that the pension benefit takes effect three months after the requirement is met.

Cases excluded from the adjustment in the 2027–2028 two‑year period

A key aspect of the Circular is the review of the cases for which the life‑expectancy adjustment does not apply in the 2027–2028 two‑year period, implementing what is provided for by the 2026 Budget Law.

First, the increase in pension eligibility requirements does not apply to workers performing arduous work, i.e., duties requiring a level of effort that makes their performance particularly burdensome over time, as identified by the relevant sector legislation. For such workers, provided that the conditions relating to the duration of the work performed and the contribution record are met, the 2026 Budget Law (Article 1, paragraphs 186 and 187) provides that access to the old‑age pension and to the early retirement pension continues to be governed by the provisions already in force, without application of the life‑expectancy‑linked increases in the 2027–2028 two‑year period.

The same exclusion from the adjustment also applies to workers engaged in particularly strenuous and heavy work, as identified by Legislative Decree No. 67/2011. For such work, the 2026 Budget Law (Article 1, paragraph 189) confirms that, also in the 2027–2028 two‑year period, eligibility requirements for retirement remain unchanged, without application of the life‑expectancy‑linked increases.

Finally, a further derogation concerns early workers falling within the case referred to in Article 1, paragraph 199, letter d), of Law No. 232/2016. For this specific category of workers, the 2026 Budget Law (Article 1, paragraph 188) provides that the contribution requirement for access to the early retirement pension remains unchanged also in the 2027–2028 two‑year period, without application of the adjustments linked to the increase in life expectancy.