Spain’s Minimum Income Benefit Hits Record Level, Covering Millions

Social Security figures show that the Ingreso Mínimo Vital experienced a significant uptick in September, reaching a record number of households and adding tens of thousands of new beneficiaries within a single month. Compared with the same month a year earlier, the programme now supports over 300,000 additional people, driving the annual expenditure up by more than 600 million euros. The monthly payment bill grew by 53 million euros, reflecting the broader reach of the subsidy.

Since its launch in 2020, cumulative payouts have exceeded 22 billion euros, averaging over 3.6 billion euros per year. Women account for roughly two-thirds of claimants, while the vast majority are Spanish citizens, and children make up around 40 % of all beneficiaries. Officials highlight the expansion as evidence of the safety net’s growing importance for vulnerable families.