Italy's INPS Extends Unemployment Benefit Naspi to Prisoners

The Italian National Institute of Social Security (INPS) issued circular No. 74 on 16 July 2026, implementing the Supreme Court’s guidance that work performed by inmates under the prison administration is a regular subordinate employment relationship. Consequently, prisoners who lose their prison‑job involuntarily – for example upon release, the end of a prison‑run project, transfer to another facility, or admission to alternative measures – are now entitled to the unemployment benefit (Naspi) on the same terms as other workers.

The reform aims to guarantee legal equality for detainees, eliminating a long‑standing exception in the unemployment‑insurance system. However, the benefit applies only when the termination is classified as involuntary, and many inmates face limited job opportunities or rotational work arrangements that may not meet the criteria. Critics note that while the change marks a significant step, it does not resolve broader shortcomings of Italy’s penitentiary labour system.