The Social Security notice about the new changes in the Minimum Living Income

The Minimum Vital Income (IMV) is a very important tool within the social protection structure in Spain. And, although it was born as an exceptional measure to combat poverty, today it has become a mechanism that guarantees an economic cushion for those in vulnerable situations. Its main function is to ensure that no home is left below a minimum income threshold.

Currently, the IMV is in line with other European minimum income programs, which seek reduce inequalities and put a curbing the risks of social exclusion. Its scope is broad, according to data published by the National Social Security Institute (INSS), this aid already reaches 773,272 homes, where 2,363,554 people reside.

Furthermore, the number of beneficiary families has increased significantly in the last year, with a growth in 18.1% in homes.

Changes in the Minimum Living Income

Taking into account the number of users who claim this benefit, the Government has decided to introduce a modification in the operation of the IMV, with the purpose of improving access to this aid. The change focuses on unemployed people who are about to exhaust their benefit. Until now, when a person finished collecting unemployment benefits, they had to apply for the IMV, which meant undergoing administrative management.

With the new regulations, This extra step disappears. From now on, those who are collecting unemployment benefits and are close to exhausting them, without yet finding work, will be able to automatically access the IMV, as long as they meet the established requirements.

How the new gateway works

During the three months before the unemployment benefit ends, the SEPE will inform the citizen about the authorization to send their data and that of their family unit to process the IMV. Once the authorization is granted, the SEPE will send to the INSS, or to the competent bodies in the Basque Country and Navarra, the information necessary to start the management within the ten days after the subsidy runs out.

If the application is approved, the start date of entitlement will coincide exactly with the day on which the person stopped receiving unemployment benefits. The payments, however, They will begin on the first day of the following month. This guarantees that the beneficiary does not experience an economic gap between one aid and another.

Requirements for the IMV

To access the IMV the basic requirements remain in force. The first is to have legal and effective residence in Spain for at least one continuous year, except in specific cases such as minors brought into the home, victims of gender violence or people affected by trafficking.

The second fundamental requirement is find themselves in a situation of economic vulnerability. This condition is determined by comparing the previous year’s income with the guaranteed income corresponding to the type of family unit. Only those who have some can access the IMV. monthly income less than that amount by at least ten euros.