Pensioners aged 75 and over who usually collect their payments from post offices in cash can ask police officers to pick up their money for them and deliver it to their home, Italy's Carabinieri military police force announced on Monday.

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Some 23,000 elderly people are eligible for the scheme, which does not apply to pensioners who have already delegated someone else to pick up their payments, who have a bank account with the Italian Post, or who live with or near family members.

The service is designed to save vulnerable older people a trip to their local post offices, which remain open throughout Italy's nationwide lockdown but are often crowded due to shorter opening hours.

It will be provided throughout Italy's coronavirus emergency.

Anyone who would like more more information on the scheme should call the Post Office helpline on 800 55 66 70, or contact their nearest Carabinieri station (find yours here). 

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Delivering pensions is the latest initiative aimed at cutting back on Italian bureaucracy in the time of coronavirus. 

Others include automatically extending the validity of residence permits, ID cards and driver's licences due to expire soon so that people aren't obliged to go in person to renew them, and introducing an 'Electronic Prescription Number' that allows doctors to prescribe medication by email, phone, text or messaging app without the need for a paper prescription.