Italy's municipalities warn of exploding social spending and call for new funding

Mayor Armando Altini of Falerone highlighted that Italian municipalities are facing a 10‑15% yearly increase in social expenditure, with costs such as residential care fees rising from €21,000 to about €50,000 for three people. He urged the central government or the Marche region to create a dedicated fund or assume direct responsibility for these expenses to prevent municipal budget crises.

A separate analysis of the national long‑term care system stressed that simply adding more nursing‑home beds will not solve the problem. The report noted that despite PNRR resources allocated to Integrated Home Care, only a fraction of the budget has been spent and the hours of care per elderly person have dropped. The OECD and the Italian Court of Auditors called for a shift toward stronger home‑care services and a more integrated health‑social model, warning that the remaining €12 billion of PNRR funds must be used efficiently within a short timeframe.