Key points
- In October 2026 prices in Italy were 5.4% higher than a year earlier (September: +4.2%), the highest level since August 2023.
- Inflation in the euro area stands at 4.0%.
- The rise comes mainly from energy: +31.4% in a year.
- From 4 November the first €500 of the “Dedicata a te” card reaches families with an ISEE of up to €15,000.
According to provisional data from Istat, the Italian statistics institute, published on 30 October, consumer prices in Italy rose 5.4% in a year in October, up from 4.2% in September; in the last month alone they went up 0.9%. In the euro area, according to Eurostat’s flash estimate, inflation rose to 4.0% (from 3.8%), also driven by energy.
What is rising most
- Electricity and gas: energy overall costs 31.4% more than a year ago. Regulated tariffs rose 59.5%, free-market ones 29.4%.
- Fresh food: fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fish (“unprocessed” food) +7.5%.
- Shopping basket: everyday products such as food and household and personal-care items +2.5%.
- Transport: transport services +3.1%.
Without energy and fresh food, prices rose only 2.0%: the increase is concentrated mainly on bills and fresh food. Istat will publish the final October figures on 17 November.
The help that exists
Social bonus for electricity, gas, water and waste. The bill discount is applied automatically to families with an ISEE of up to €9,796, or up to €20,000 with at least four dependent children. No application is needed: you just need a valid ISEE, obtained by submitting the DSU to INPS. For 2026, people who receive the electricity social bonus also get an extra €115 on their electricity bill.
“Dedicata a te” card. It is worth €1,000 per family, in two €500 instalments: the first from 4 November 2026, the second from April 2027. It is for resident families with an ISEE of up to €15,000, with at least three members including at least one minor, who receive no other income support. You do not apply: INPS selects the families and the Comune (municipality) informs those who qualify. The card is collected at post offices and can be used only for basic food (no alcohol). Mind the deadline: you must make at least one purchase by 16 December 2026, or the card is blocked. Participating supermarkets, including Coop, Conad and Lidl, give an extra 15% discount.
What to do now
- Update your ISEE. Without a valid ISEE you get neither the social bonus nor the card. The DSU can be submitted free of charge on the INPS website or at a CAF or patronato.
- Check letters from your Comune and, if in doubt, ask the social services office whether your family is on the “Dedicata a te” list.
- Compare electricity and gas offers on ARERA’s Portale Offerte, the energy authority’s official and free website.
- Read your bills carefully and check that the social bonus discount is applied.
Need help with your ISEE, bills or the card? Contact BIMAS: we will help you understand what you are entitled to.
