Italy to distribute 'Carta Dedicata a Te' social cards for 2026-2027

The Italian government is launching the 2026 installment of the 'Carta Dedicata a Te' social card, a prepaid measure designed to assist low-income families with the purchase of essential food items. The program has been allocated 500 million euros for 2026 and an additional 500 million euros for 2027, contributing to a total of 2.7 billion euros mobilized for this measure between 2023 and 2027.

Beneficiaries include families residing in Italy with an ISEE (Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator) not exceeding 15,000 euros. Due to limited funding, the cards are assigned based on priority levels, favoring larger families and those with children born before specific dates. In Mazara del Vallo, for example, 2,364 families have been identified as eligible for the first 500-euro tranche.

No formal application is required, as the INPS automatically identifies eligible households through database cross-referencing. In Mazara del Vallo, residents can verify their status via the municipal website using their ISEE protocol number. Those receiving the card for the first time must collect a matching letter from social services to facilitate card pickup at post offices.