Retirees will start collecting it next Thursday1; public and private employees, however, within the next three or four weeks. We're talking about thirteenths and the CGIA Research Office has already done the first calculations: this year the total amount will reach 46,9 billion euros, of which 11,4 will be "absorbed" by the tax authorities.
The recipients of this bonus amount to 33,9 million Italians: 16,1 million pensioners and 17,8 million employees. Overall, the beneficiaries will collect a gross amount of 46,9 billion euros. If we subtract the 11,4 billion Irpef withholding taxes that will end up in the treasury from this amount, 35,5 billion net will remain in the pockets of Italians
Probably a good part of this additional month's salary will be spent in December to pay, in particular, the electricity and gas bills, the mortgage installment, the balance of the IMU on the second home, but it is equally desirable that the remaining part be used to relaunch Christmas consumption. An item, the latter, which has a very important impact on the annual budget of many artisans and as many small traders.
• 9,5 billion Christmas purchases expected this year
The CGIA Research Office estimates that spending on Christmas gifts this year should reach at least the same threshold recorded last year, when it was close to 9,5 billion euros. However, it has nothing to do with how much we spent before the great crisis of 2008-2009, when Italians bought 18/19 billion euros for Christmas gifts. The contraction recorded in recent years is partly attributable to the fact that many Italians anticipate the purchase of gifts to November, taking advantage of "Black Friday". With fewer purchases, however, it was mainly the neighborhood shops that paid the bill, while the outlets and, at least in part, the large-scale retail trade managed to cushion the blow. We hope that, also thanks to the thirteenth month, in this last month of the year we will return to spending intelligently, thus giving new breath to domestic demand which, unfortunately, is destined to contract.
• The most popular gifts
Also this year food should tend to be the most popular type of Christmas gift by Italians: followed by toys, technological products, books, clothing/shoes and personal care items. There is no doubt that the so-called "digital" gifts will undergo a marked increase: since they can be purchased without having to go to physical stores, they will certainly undergo a further increase. In particular subscriptions to streaming platforms and gift vouchers to buy online.
• In Lombardy, Lazio and Veneto the highest number of recipients
At a geographical level, the region with the highest number of beneficiaries of the thirteenth month salary is Lombardy: between employees and pensioners, the people concerned will be almost 6,2 million. This is followed by the 3,25 million recipients present in Lazio and the 2,98 million residents in Veneto. Just off the podium we see the 2,82 million inhabitants in Emilia Romagna and the 2,58 in Piedmont. The least affected region, also because it is demographically the smallest in Italy, is Valle d'Aosta. The Aosta Valley citizens who will receive this bonus amount to almost 79
• Half employees also receive 14th
It should be remembered that as far as employees are concerned, all the CCNLs provide, by law, for the thirteenth month's salary. Finally, according to an estimate by the CGIA Research Office, there are between 7,5 and 8 million employees in the private sector who also benefit from the 14th (equal to just over half of total private employees). The main national employment contracts which provide for this additional month's salary which is traditionally paid in July are: agriculture, food, road haulage, commerce/tourism/catering and the cleaning/multi-service sector.