Minimum Vital Income

Individual beneficiaries

• Persons at least 23 years of age  who do not receive a contributory pension for retirement or permanent disability, or a non-contributory pension for disability or retirement who, although they share a household, are not part of it, provided that:

  • They are not married, unless they have initiated separation or divorce proceedings.
  • They are not part of a domestic partnership.
  • They are not part of another cohabitation unit.

  If they are aged between 23 and 29, they must have had their legal and effective residency in Spain and have lived independently for at least three years prior to the application, unless they left their habitual residence as victims of gender-based violence, have initiated separation or divorce proceedings or other circumstances that may be determined. It is understood that a person has lived independently if they can prove that their address has been different to that of their parents, guardians or foster carers during the three years and that during this period they remained registered with the Social Security, State Pension Scheme or a mutual fund alternative to the Special Scheme for Self-Employed Workers for at least twelve months – whether continuous or not.
  In the case of those aged over 30, they must prove that their address in Spain differed to that of their parents, guardians or foster carers during the year immediately prior to that date.    
  

• Older women victims of gender-based violence or victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
• Permanent users of a social, health or public health residential service benefit are not entitled to the benefit, except in the case of women victims of gender-based violence or victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Cohabitation unit beneficiaries

MVI beneficiaries, i.e., the persons who receive the benefit on behalf of and represent the household unit, must have legal capacity and be at least 23 years old.

Adults or emancipated minors when they have children or the custody of minors for the purpose of adoption or permanent foster care may also be beneficiaries, provided they have legal capacity.

Cohabitation unit:

The cohabitation unit if formed of all persons living in the same home, joined by marriage or as domestic partners, and their family members up to the second degree by consanguinity or affinity, adoption, and other persons living with them for the purpose of adoption or permanent foster care.

The benefit may be paid to persons who, without forming part of the cohabitation unit or forming part of an independent cohabitation unit, live in the same household with others with whom they have one of the aforementioned family ties. To do so, they must be in one of the following situations:

a) When a woman – a victim of gender violence – has left her habitual family home accompanied or not by her children or minors in foster care for the purpose of adoption or permanent family foster care.

b) When, due to the commencement of separation, annulment or divorce proceedings, or the dissolution of the formally constituted unmarried couple, a person has left their habitual family home, whether or not accompanied by their children or minors in foster care for the purpose of adoption or permanent family foster care. In the case of unmarried couples who have ceased living together, the person claiming the benefit must prove, where applicable, that the procedures for allocating custody and guardianship of the children have been initiated.

c) When it is accredited to have abandoned the home due to eviction, or because it has become uninhabitable due to accident or force majeure, as well as other cases that are established by regulation.

In the cases foreseen in paragraphs b) and c), an independent unit shall only be considered during the three years following the date on which the events indicated in each of them occurred.

When people who do not share the aforementioned family ties live together in the same household, those who are at risk of social exclusion – that must be accredited by social services – may be entitled to the minimum vital income.

In the case of persons who are registered in collective establishments, or who, because they are homeless and habitually reside in a municipality, are registered at a dummy address, the cohabitation unit will be made up of the persons joined by marriage, as a common-law couple, and, if applicable, with their descendant minors up to the first degree of consanguinity, affinity, adoption or by virtue of permanent family foster care or guardianship for the purpose of adoption. The aforementioned descendants may be up to the second degree if they are not registered with their first degree ascendants.

The cohabitation unit must have been continuous for at least one year prior to submitting the application.

Cohabitation is not deemed interrupted due to temporary separation because of studies, work, medical treatment, rehabilitation or other similar circumstances.

One person may not be part of more than one household unit.

1. Identity, both of the applicants and of those forming the cohabitation unit, shall be accredited by means of the national identity document (DNI) in the case of Spaniards and by means of the national identity document of their country of origin or provenance, or foreigner identification card, or passport, in the case of foreign citizens who, in addition, must provide their foreign resident identification number (NIE) if this does not appear on the documents presented to accredit identity or legal residence in Spain.
   
   A DNI is required of all Spaniards who are members of the cohabitation unit, regardless of their age. However, children under 14 years of age who are members of a cohabitation unit are exempt from paying fees for the issuance and renewal of their DNI.
   
2. Legal residence in Spain shall be accredited by registration in the central registry of foreign nationals, in the case of nationals of the Member States of the European Union, European Economic Area or Swiss Confederation, or with a card of a family member of a Union citizen or a residence permit, in any form, in the case of foreign nationals of other nationalities. 
   
   Victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, as well as their children, may prove legal residence in Spain with the provisional residence permit issued by the Secretary of State for Security of the Ministry of the Interior in collaboration with the police or judicial authorities, or issued by the Secretary of State for Migration in accordance with the personal situation of the victim. 
   
   Women victims of gender-based violence and their children may prove legal residence in Spain with the provisional residence permit issued by the authority competent to grant the residence permit for exceptional circumstances, pending a decision on the authorisation.                                   
3. Addresses in Spain will be accredited with city registration certificates.
4. The existence of the cohabitation unit shall be accredited by means of the family book, civil registry certificate, and information in the Municipal Registers related to those registered at the same dwelling. 
   
   In the case of a mismatch with information provided in the benefit application, the following shall be requested: the corresponding historical and collective city registration certificate for the period required in each case, referring to the addresses where cohabitation unit members reside or have resided, issued by the Local Authority.

5. The existence of a domestic partnership shall be accredited using a registration certificate from any of the specific registries in the Autonomous Communities or local authorities in the place of residence, or a public record stating the existence of said partnership. Both the aforementioned registration and the signing of the relevant public record must have taken place at least two years prior to the date of the benefit application.   

6. The commencement of separation or divorce proceedings, or the existence thereof, shall be evidenced by the filing of the petition or the corresponding judicial decision, or by a public record.
7. Not being united to another person by marriage or domestic partnership shall be accredited by a sworn statement or solemn statement from the individual himself, which shall be included in the benefit application. Said sworn statement or solemn statement shall not prevent the managing body from requiring additional accreditation in case of reasonable doubt.
8. The accreditation of having lived independently from parents, guardians or carers shall be carried out with the information provided by the National Statistics Institute or, where applicable, the historical and collective city registration certificate in which all the persons registered in the applicant's home during the stated period are recorded.
9. A person is considered to be homeless if they do not have a roof over their head and habitually reside in the municipality, and this shall be accredited by registration at a fictitious address in application of the corresponding technical instructions to the Local Authorities on the management of the Municipal Register.
10. The status of women victims of gender-based violence shall be accredited by any of the means established in Article 23 of Organic Law 1/2004 of 28 December on Comprehensive Protection Measures against Gender-Based Violence.
11. The status of victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation shall be accredited with a report issued by the public services responsible for the comprehensive care of these victims or by Social Services. This may also be accredited by means of a report issued by specialised social entities duly recognised by the Public Administrations competent in the matter.
12. The status of persons between 18 and 22 years of age who come from residential centres for the protection of minors shall be accredited by means of a certificate issued by the entity that has been in charge of fostering or guardianship in the corresponding Autonomous Community.
13. The status of persons with a disability equal to or greater than 65 per cent shall be accredited with a certificate from the competent body of the Autonomous Communities or IMSERSO (Institute of Social Services and the Elderly) in Ceuta and Melilla.
14. Income and asset requirements for access to and maintenance of the minimum vital income financial benefit shall be determined by the managing body in accordance with the information obtained by electronic means from the State Tax Administration Agency (AEAT) and the Regional Tax Authorities of Navarre and the historical territories of the Basque Country.
    
15. The applicant will not be required to provide evidence of facts, data or circumstances that the Social Security Administration should know for itself, such as the beneficiary’s situation in relation to the Social Security system; or the receipt by members of the cohabitation unit of another economic benefit that is recorded in the register of public social benefits.

16. A certificate issued by the competent Social Services or by social action third sector bodies entered in the register of IMV (minimum vital income) social mediators shall be required, where necessary to accredit the following requirements:                                                                                                                      

    a) The effective residence in Spain of persons who, at the date of application, are registered at a dummy address in application of the corresponding technical instructions to local councils on managing the municipal register.
    

    b) The temporary nature of the residential, social, health or social-health care service of which the applicant for the minimum vital income benefit is a user.

    c) The actual address of the person claiming not to live at the address shown in the register.

    d) The non-existence of family ties when, in addition to applicants for the minimum vital income who are united by such ties, there are other persons registered in the same household with whom it is claimed that they are not related by blood or affinity, nor being a domestic partner.

    e) The non-existence of family ties between all or part of the cohabitants when one of them applies for the minimum vital income.

    f) Compliance with the requirements relating to proof of having lived independently in Spain and proof of being part of a cohabitation unit for at least the year prior to submitting the application.
    

17. In any case, a certificate issued by the competent  Social Services or social action third sector bodies entered in the register of IMV social mediators shall be required to accredit the risk of social exclusion in the case of non-related cohabitants.
    

Beneficiaries of the minimum vital income shall be subject to the following obligations while receiving the benefit:

1. Provide accurate documentation and information for the accreditation of requirements and the maintenance of the benefit, as well as to ensure the receipt of notifications and communications.
2. Communicate any change or situation that could lead to the modification, suspension or termination of the benefit, within 30 calendar days from the date of its occurrence.
3. Communicate any change of address or change of situation in the municipal register that personally affects the aforementioned holders or any other member of the cohabitation unit, within 30 calendar days of the change occurring.
   
4. Reimburse the amount of benefits unduly received.
5. Notify the managing body in advance of any trips abroad by both the beneficiary and the members of the cohabitation unit for a period, whether continuous or not, of more than 90 calendar days each calendar year, as well as, where applicable, justify absence from Spanish territory due to illness.
6. File a Personal Income Tax return each year.
7. Where the minimum vital income is compatible with income from work or economic activity, fulfil the conditions established for access to and maintenance of that compatibility.
8. Participate in the inclusion strategies promoted by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration.
9. Any other obligation that may be established by regulations.

Cohabitation unit members shall be obliged to:

1. Report the death of the beneficiary.
2. Notify the administration of any fact that distorts the purpose of the benefit granted.
3. File a Personal Income Tax return each year.
4. Fulfil the obligations of the beneficiary established in the previous section when the former, for any reason, does not fulfil them.
5. Where the minimum vital income is compatible with income from work or economic activity, fulfil the conditions established for access to and maintenance of that compatibility.
6. Participate in the inclusion strategies promoted by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration.
7. Fulfil any other obligation that may be established by regulations.

The benefit will be paid monthly and is made by bank transfer to an account of the holder of the benefit.

Entitlement to the minimum living allowance will arise from the first day of the month following the date of submission of the application. If the application is submitted before 1 January 2021, the financial effects shall be backdated to 1 June 2020, provided that all eligibility requirements are met by that date. If the requirements are not met on that date, the financial effects shall be fixed on the first day of the month following that in which the requirements are met.

The minimum living allowance is non-transferable. It may not be offered as security for obligations, nor may it be the subject of total or partial assignment, or of offsetting or discount, or of retention or attachment.

The right to the benefit begins on the first day of the month following the application submission date. This right shall remain in force while the reasons for granting the benefit remain and the requirements and obligations provided for in the Act are met.

Suspension of rights

The right to the benefit shall be suspended for the following reasons:

1. Temporary loss of any of the requirements for recognition.
2. Temporary breach by the beneficiary, holder or any member of their cohabitation unit of the obligations assumed by accessing the benefit.
3. As a precautionary measure, in the event of evidence of a breach by the beneficiary, holder or any member of their cohabitation unit of the requirements established or obligations assumed by accessing the benefit, as decided by the managing body.
4. In any case, the benefit shall be provisionally suspended in the event of transfer abroad for a period over 90 calendar days, whether continuous or not, without having notified the managing body in advance and without due justification.
5. As a precautionary measure, in the event that no communication has been received within the stipulated period regarding the maintenance or variation of the certificates issued by Social Services or social action third sector bodies entered in the register of IMV (minimum vital income) social mediators, in the cases expressly foreseen.
   
6. Failure to meet the terms related to compatibility of the minimum vital income with income from work or self-employed economic activity.
7. Any other cause that is determined by regulations.

In the event of non-compliance with the obligation to file personal income tax returns, in accordance with the conditions and deadlines set out in the applicable tax regulations, suspension shall occur when persons with the status of taxpayer have failed to comply with this obligation for two consecutive tax years.

Suspension of the right to the minimum vital income shall entail the suspension of benefit payment as of the first day of the month following the causes for suspension, or the month in which the competent managing body has knowledge of the causes, and notwithstanding the obligation to return amounts unduly collected. Suspension shall be maintained for as long as the circumstances leading to suspension persist.

If the suspension is maintained for one year, the right to the benefit shall be terminated.

If the causes leading to suspension of the right disappear, the right shall be resumed ex officio or at the request of a party provided the requirements that led to recognition are maintained. In this case, the benefit shall accrue from the first day of the month following the date on which the causes leading to suspension ended.

If the causes for suspension are maintained, the right shall be amended or terminated, as appropriate.

Termination of rights

The right to the minimum vital income benefit shall be terminated for the following reasons:

1. Death of the beneficiary. However, in the case of cohabitation units, any other eligible member may submit a new application. If the application is submitted within three months of the day following the date of death, the economic effects of the right the cohabitation unit may be entitled to under its new circumstances shall take effect from the first day of the month following the date of death, provided that the application is submitted within the period indicated.
2. Definitive loss of any of the requirements to maintain the benefit.
3. Decision in a penalty proceeding establishing termination.
4. Departure from the national territory without notification or justification to the managing body during a period, whether continuous or not, of over 90 calendar days per year.
5. Waiver of the right.
6. Suspension of the benefit for a period of more than one year.
7. Repeated failure to meet the terms related to compatibility of the minimum vital income with income from work or self-employed economic activity.
8. Any other cause that is determined by regulations.

Termination of the right to a benefit shall be effective from the first day of the month following the causes for termination.

This simulator will ask you a series of questions about your situation and, based on the answers, you will be able to check if you are eligible for the Minimum Vital Income benefit and find out the approximate amount you would be entitled to.

The simulator does not consider the exceptional case provided for in the third transitional provision of Royal Decree-Law 20/2020 regulating cases in which, under certain conditions, and until 31 December 2021, the income considered to determine entitlement to the benefit is that corresponding to the current year.

You can access the calculator at the following link: Minimum Living Allowance Calculator.

In Frequently Asked Questions there are a series of questions published about the minimum living allowance that can clarify the most common doubts about this new benefit. They will be updated to include those that arise.

Notification of the change of bank account can be made by the financial institution on behalf of the holder of the Minimum Living Income. Further information.