The Minimum Basic Income protects 2.6 million people, more than one million of whom are children

The Minimum Basic Income (IMV) payment reached 846,454 households in April, 581,054 of which include children. The benefit protects 2,583,014 people, according to the latest statistics published by the National Social Security Institute (INSS).

The average benefit amount is €540.6 per month per household, and the total payout this month amounted to €497.2 million.

In April 2016, there were 126,911 more active benefits than a year earlier, as the number of households receiving benefits had increased by almost 17.7%. This percentage is similar to the increase in the number of beneficiaries, which rose by 17.7% (388,428) since the same month of the previous year.

Both in terms of the profile of the recipients and the beneficiaries, we can say that the Minimum Basic Income (IMV) has a distinctly female profile. In April, 68% of the recipients (575,589) and 53.4% of the beneficiaries (1,379,839) were women.

In its almost six years of operation, the IMV has protected more than 3.6 million people (3,609,511), progressively adapting to the realities of households and improving its capacity to respond to situations of vulnerability.

Social investment in children

The Minimum Basic Income has become established as a model in which child protection is paramount. Currently, 1,052,837 children and adolescents receive the benefit, representing 41% of the total. In cumulative terms, more than 1.6 million minors have been covered by the benefit since 2020.

More than two-thirds of the families receiving the IMV have dependent children (570,548 households, almost 70% of the total), demonstrating its direct impact on reducing child poverty.

"The Minimum Basic Income is not only a safety net, it is also a social investment, since protecting children today means guaranteeing opportunities tomorrow," stressed Elma Saiz, Minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration.

Family structure and gender inequality

The profile of beneficiary households reveals the relationship between economic vulnerability and family structure. Approximately 142,000 households are single-parent households, mostly headed by women who bear the sole responsibility for raising their children. This reality reflects a greater vulnerability to precariousness and demonstrates that economic hardship is more intensely concentrated in this family model.

This reality is also reflected in the overall benefit. 68% of Minimum Basic Income recipients are women, and more than half of the beneficiaries are also women. In this context, the IMV acts as a stability mechanism for many families in which women assume the primary economic and caregiving responsibilities.

In the words of the minister, "it is not just about guaranteeing income, but also about offering stability and opportunities, helping families to plan their future with greater security."

Child Support Supplement

The Child Support Supplement (CAPI) reinforces IMV coverage with additional support for each dependent child. In April, 586,118 households received it, with an average benefit of €66.7 per child and €121.3 per household with children. This benefit provides for different amounts depending on age: €115 per month for children under 3; €80.5 for children between 3 and 6 years old; and €57.5 for children between 6 and 18 years old.

The CAPI can be received independently of the IMV as it has wider income thresholds. To this effect, in addition to protecting families in severe poverty, it reaches households with low or moderate incomes. For example, a family of two adults and two children with an approximate income of up to €4,182 per month can apply, which significantly expands the reach of the safety net against child poverty.

IMV and young people

The IMV not only acts as a protection mechanism, but also as a tool to support the inclusion of young people. The average age of beneficiaries, at 28.5 years-and 20.1 years if primary beneficiaries are excluded-reflects its impact on the stages of early career development. In this sense, its compatibility with earned income and the incentives for entering the workforce reinforce its role as a catalyst for employment.

More precisely, the improvements incorporated into the IMV facilitate access to the benefit for young people in vulnerable situations. For example, people over the age of 18 and emancipated minors with dependent children can apply. The period of independent living for young people under 30 has also been reduced from 3 to 2 years.

General requirements for applying for the IMV

The IMV is a Social Security benefit that guarantees a minimum income level for vulnerable households and was implemented almost six years ago. It is established as a subjective right, adapted to the circumstances of each household, and is a key instrument in the fight against poverty and social exclusion, with special attention to children.

To apply for the IMV, it is necessary to have resided in Spain legally, effectively, and continuously for at least the previous year. Proof of residence is provided by entry in the central register of foreigners in the case of EU and Swiss nationals, and by the corresponding authorisation in the case of third-country nationals. Domicile in Spain is verified with a certificate of census registration, and cohabitation is proved by means of the family book, civil registry certificates or census data.

In addition, both the applicant and the other members of the household must be in a situation of economic vulnerability, without sufficient income or assets.

In the case of individuals who have exhausted their unemployment benefits and are unable to find new employment, they automatically receive the Minimum Basic Income (IMV) without needing to apply or provide any new documentation, as the State Public Employment Service (SEPE) and the Social Security Administration grant it automatically.

Furthermore, the implementation of the dual income review system allows families to know in advance how their benefit will be adjusted. As a result, since last year, beneficiaries have known whether, based on their income from the previous year, their benefit will be increased, reduced, or terminated.

Non official translation