How some over-65s in Spain can request €525 to help pay the rent
If you're a pensioner in Spain and meet certain requirements, there's the option of requesting an aid benefit to help you pay your rent.
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The cost of rent in Spain has been dramatically increasing over the last couple of years in particular, and with added inflation and the cost of living crisis, it is becoming more and more difficult for people to keep up with payments, especially for the elderly or retired.
While many retirees own their own homes, there are still a large number in Spain who still live in rented accommodation, having never got on the property ladder.
According to figures from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE), it is estimated that almost 10 percent of rented households in Spain are lived in by over-65s, a percentage that is growing year on year.
Many retirees only receive a non-contributory pension, meaning that taking on increasing rents is becoming more and more difficult. In response to this situation, Social Security is offering a benefit of €525 per year so that pensioners can help pay their rent.
Although non-contributory pensions have increased by 6.9 percent in 2024, this aid remains the same as in 2023 and works out to monthly payments of €43.75.
READ ALSO: How to claim a pension in Spain if you've not worked enough years
Who is eligible?
Beneficiaries of non-contributory pensions can request the aid, as well as those who are on disability benefits. To be eligible you must meet the following requirements:
- Not own your own home
- Be named on the rental contract for your home
- You cannot be married or in a close relationship up to the third degree with the owner of the home, nor live with that person as if you were a married couple.
- Your habitual residence must be a rented home. This means that the rental contract must have a duration of at least one year.
- You must have lived in your home for at least 180 days before requesting the aid.
When and how to apply?
The deadline to request rental assistance runs from January 1st to December 31st, 2024.
It can be requested through the competent bodies in the region where you live.
First, you must download and fill out the following form. If you live in Ceuta and Melilla you’ll need this one instead.
It will ask for all your personal details, plus the details of the property you rent, who you live with, and the conditions of your rental contract.
It can be submitted in person by making an appointment at your local Social Security office or similar in your region. Contact your local town hall to find out where you should go in your area if unsure.
You will also need to take a copy of your rental contract as well as receipts or bank transfers to show how much rent you’ve been paying.
Alternatively, you can apply online through the IMSERSO Electronic Office. You can submit your form and any supporting documents if you have a digital certificate, but you may also be called in, in person if they need any more supporting evidence.
READ ALSO - Access all areas: how to get a digital certificate in Spain to aid online processes
Once the request is submitted, the authorities have a maximum period of three months to decide whether to grant or deny it.
If no response is received, it will be understood that it has been denied due to administrative silence.
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The cost of rent in Spain has been dramatically increasing over the last couple of years in particular, and with added inflation and the cost of living crisis, it is becoming more and more difficult for people to keep up with payments, especially for the elderly or retired.
While many retirees own their own homes, there are still a large number in Spain who still live in rented accommodation, having never got on the property ladder.
According to figures from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE), it is estimated that almost 10 percent of rented households in Spain are lived in by over-65s, a percentage that is growing year on year.
Many retirees only receive a non-contributory pension, meaning that taking on increasing rents is becoming more and more difficult. In response to this situation, Social Security is offering a benefit of €525 per year so that pensioners can help pay their rent.
Although non-contributory pensions have increased by 6.9 percent in 2024, this aid remains the same as in 2023 and works out to monthly payments of €43.75.
READ ALSO: How to claim a pension in Spain if you've not worked enough years
Who is eligible?
Beneficiaries of non-contributory pensions can request the aid, as well as those who are on disability benefits. To be eligible you must meet the following requirements:
- Not own your own home
- Be named on the rental contract for your home
- You cannot be married or in a close relationship up to the third degree with the owner of the home, nor live with that person as if you were a married couple.
- Your habitual residence must be a rented home. This means that the rental contract must have a duration of at least one year.
- You must have lived in your home for at least 180 days before requesting the aid.
When and how to apply?
The deadline to request rental assistance runs from January 1st to December 31st, 2024.
It can be requested through the competent bodies in the region where you live.
First, you must download and fill out the following form. If you live in Ceuta and Melilla you’ll need this one instead.
It will ask for all your personal details, plus the details of the property you rent, who you live with, and the conditions of your rental contract.
It can be submitted in person by making an appointment at your local Social Security office or similar in your region. Contact your local town hall to find out where you should go in your area if unsure.
You will also need to take a copy of your rental contract as well as receipts or bank transfers to show how much rent you’ve been paying.
Alternatively, you can apply online through the IMSERSO Electronic Office. You can submit your form and any supporting documents if you have a digital certificate, but you may also be called in, in person if they need any more supporting evidence.
READ ALSO - Access all areas: how to get a digital certificate in Spain to aid online processes
Once the request is submitted, the authorities have a maximum period of three months to decide whether to grant or deny it.
If no response is received, it will be understood that it has been denied due to administrative silence.
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