INPS Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza Sociale
Italian Institute of Social security
Italy

www.inps.it

INPS, the National Social Security Institute is one of the greatest and most complex social security organisations in Europe. It manages almost the entire Italian social security with a budget which size is second only to the State own budget. Most employees from the public and private sector and free-lancers are insured by INPS. INPS tasks and internal organisation are regulated by legislation. Italy's social security system was established in 1898 with the creation of the Cassa nazionale di previdenza (national welfare fund), which dealt with social security for disabled and elderly workers. The Institute created over a hundred years ago with the purpose to ensure workers against the risks of disability, old age and death has assumed over time an increasingly important role up to becoming the pillar of the national welfare System. In 1919, invalidity and old-age insurance became compulsory and involved 12 million of workers. In 1933, it was named INPS, a self-management public law agency with legal personality. In 1989, the law on INPS reorganisation (Law 88 of 9 March 1989) was of particular importance in the process of transforming the institute into a modern service agency that introduces the criteria of economy and entrepreneurship, and financially separates assistance from social security. In 2011, INPDAP (National social security institute for Public Administration employees) and ENPALS (National social security and assistance agency for workers of the show business) were abolished and on 31 March 2012, the competences of the two agencies were conveyed to INPS, so as to render public service more efficient and effective, thus ensuring that the citizens have one interlocutor for assistance and social security services.