Spain advances major social reform for dependent people
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Spain’s Congress approved a comprehensive reform of laws regarding dependency and disability, considered the largest in 20 years. The changes aim to expand benefits, reduce bureaucratic obstacles, and improve care options for people needing assistance.
The new legislation allows people needing care to receive multiple types of support payments without those payments conflicting with each other. For example, a person receiving care at home can also use day centers and receive assistance with family care or teleassistance.
The reform broadens the scope of available services. Home care assistance will no longer be limited to a person’s home, and workers can accompany people on daily activities like shopping or doctor’s appointments. The government will also recognize and support caregivers who are not family members, and will cover their social security contributions. The administrative process for recognizing dependency will be faster. Officials aim to reduce the wait time from six months to three months.
People with severe dependency will automatically qualify for disability recognition, streamlining the process and reducing waiting lists. The legislation also establishes the right to early intervention services for children aged zero to six who have developmental disorders, and prohibits discriminatory practices in insurance pricing based on disability.
