Minimum Vital Income

The Minimum Vital Income is an economic benefit that is part of the protective action of Social Security and that is intended to guarantee a minimum income to citizens, as well as providing special protection to certain groups, such as children and people with disabilities. Its objective is to improve the opportunities of people in their social and labor insertion.

The Minimum Vital Income is regulated in Law 19/2021, of 20 December.

  • The Minimum Vital Income is a benefit that guarantees a minimum income to households or units of coexistence. Minimum income thresholds are established by type of household. If, in the previous fiscal year, all the members of the Coexistence Unit had a total income below the threshold that corresponds to them and meet the rest of the requirements, they will be entitled to an economic benefit equal to the difference between this threshold and their net income. This benefit will be paid to them monthly.

    Example: IMV for a household of 2 Adults and 2 Minors


     

    If households meet a number of requirements, they will be entitled to this monthly benefit.

    The benefit is updated every year based on the previous year’s income. It is a living benefit that adapts to personal circumstances and changes that may occur in each family unit.

    The Minimum Vital Income is compatible with employment. In order to promote job placement, the employment incentive was introduced in 2023, which means that a portion of new job income does not have a negative impact on the amount of the benefit.For more information, access the Social Security website.

  • The Minimum Vital Income is formed as an aid at the level of coexistence unit, that is, people who live in the same home and who have a family link.

    The main requirements are:

    1. Have legal and effective residence in Spain on a continuous basis during the last year.
    2. Have income and assets below certain thresholds.
    3. That the unit of coexistence has been formed for at least six months.
    4. The benefit holder must be at least 23 years old.
    5. Not to be an administrator of a commercial company.

    In addition to these general requirements, there are additional requirements, as well as exceptions to them.

    It is necessary to meet the requirements both in the reference period that marks the application and during the time of the perception of the benefit.

    The beneficiaries are obliged to report any change or situation that could lead to the modification of the benefit.

  • The unit of cohabitation is made up of all the people who live in the same home and who are united: by marriage; by a de facto couple (formalized for at least 2 years and with a cohabitation for at least 5 years); by having a family bond of up to second degree (for example: parents, in-laws, children, son-in-law, siblings, brother-in-law, grandparents and grandchildren); or by having a relationship by virtue of guardianship for the purposes of adoption or permanent family fostering.

    In the case of cohabitants who do not have a family connection up to the second degree or have a relationship with other persons with whom they live, they may be entitled to the benefit if they are at risk of social exclusion and for which the competent social services
    shall issue a certificate.

  • In order to receive the Minimum Vital Income or any of its supplements, it is necessary that the income and patrimony of the Unit of Coexistence as a whole do not exceed certain thresholds.

    At the time of the application or revision, it will be assessed whether the income and net worth of the household as a whole during the previous fiscal year is lower than these thresholds.

    The following table shows the maximum income levels of the cohabitation unit to be eligible for the Minimum Vital Income. To qualify for the Child Support Supplement (CAPI) only, the income limits are broader.

    The income threshold is also the level of guaranteed income that the living units will have, receiving as a Minimum Vital Income benefit the difference between this threshold and their income.

    Amounts 2026

    INCOME LIMIT FOR RECEIVING THE IMV

    UNITY OF COEXISTENCE Monthly income (€/month) Annual income (€/year)

    An adult alone

    733,60

    8,803,20

    An adult and a minor

    953,68

    11,444,16

    One adult and two minors

    1,173,76

    14.085,12

    One adult and three minors

    1,393,84

    16.726.08

    One adult and four or more minors

    1.613.92

    19.367.04

    Two adults

    953,68

    11,444,16

    Two adults and a minor

    1,173,76

    14.085,12

    Two adults and two minors

    1,393,84

    16.726.08

    Two adults and three or more minors

    1.613.92

    19.367.04

    Three adults

    1,173,76

    14.085,12

    Three adults and a minor

    1,393,84

    16.726.08

    Three adults and two or more minors

    1.613.92

    19.367.04

    Four adults

    1,393,84

    16.726.08

    Four adults and one minor

    1.613.92

    19.367.04

    Others

    1.613.92

    19.367.04


    Some benefits and income are exempt from the calculation of income and patrimony. You can consult on the Social Security website the detailed rules for the calculation of income and wealth.

  • The amount to be received as Minimum Vital Income will be the difference between the guaranteed income and the income of the people who form the unit of coexistence.

    In addition to the amounts indicated, a Child Support Supplement (CAPI) will be paid monthly for each minor member of the cohabitation unit.

  • The personal change in circumstances of the person receiving the Minimum Vital Income, or of any of the members of the cohabitation unit, may imply the modification of the amount of the financial benefit through the corresponding review by the INSS. The amount of the benefit will be updated with effect from 1 January of each year.

  • To apply for the Minimum Vital Income there are two options:

    • If you do not have a digital certificate or user and password at Cl@ve you can use the service enabled by the National Social Security Institute (INSS) for your application without a certificate. In addition, you must attach your identification documents and the necessary documentation to resolve the request.
    • If you have an electronic certificate or user and password at Cl@ve you can request it through the Electronic Social Security Headquarters and select the authentication method. You have the option to use this service with the help of a person who has an electronic certificate or cl@ve and who will act as a representative.

    In this video tutorial we explain how to request it. 
     

  • On January 1, 2023, the incentive to use the Minimum Vital Income came into force.

    It is a mechanism that ensures that those holders of the Minimum Vital Income who join the labor market or increase working hours increase their disposable income.

    With the new formula, in force since March 2026, for one year the first €6,000 increase in income from work income is exempt for the calculation of the benefit and, from that amount, only 50% is taken into account.

    In the case of cohabitation units to which the supplements for disability or single parenthood apply, the latter percentage of exemption will be raised to 55%. The incentive will therefore protect more intensively households with minors and persons with disabilities, two priority groups of the IMV.

    If you receive the Minimum Vital Income, in this simulator you can check the variation of the amount in case there are changes in your income for work.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Yes, it is compatible with other income whether you are an employed person or a self-employed person as long as you do not exceed the amount of the guaranteed income.

    It is best to look at it with an example: if a household of two adults and a minor is entitled to 1,173.76 euros and their monthly income is 300 euros, the monthly benefit you will receive would be 873.76 euros to complete that income.

    In addition, to calculate the guaranteed income, the study grants do not count; the housing grants, both for rent and acquisition; nor the alimony in favor of the children.

  • You need to know if your annual income exceeds the annual guaranteed income. The situation of vulnerability is determined by taking into account the income you received last year. You can also request it if during the elapsed time of the current year income has been obtained that, in annual terms, would be below this figure. In these cases, once you have the data for the whole year, an adjustment of the benefit will be carried out based on the real income.
     

  • The Minimum Vital Income is indefinite, you can continue to receive it as long as you continue to meet the requirements. Social Security is responsible for checking on a regular basis that you or your family unit continue to meet the requirements of the benefit.

  • It is a monthly payment and is received by bank transfer to an account of the benefit holder.

INSTRUMENTS OF APPLICATION

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Minimum Vital Income

What is the Minimum Vital Income?

The Minimum Vital Income is an aid
given by the Government of Spain
to all people who do not have
enough money to live.
With this assistance, the Government wants to protect
some groups of people,
such as children
or people with disabilities.

The Minimum Vital Income wants to improve
the opportunities for all people
to find work
and participate in society.

There is a law that explains
how Minimum Vital Income works.
You can read the full law here:

How does the Minimum Vital Income work?

The Minimum Vital Income ensures
a minimum income each month
to the people or living units
who need it.

To collect the Minimum Vital Income
you or your living unit must earn less
than a certain amount of money
and meet certain conditions.

If you accomplish both things,
you can get help each month.
The amount you will receive changes,
depending on the type of living unit
in which you live
and the amount of money you earn per year.

Each year, the amount
of aid you’re going to receive,
depending on how much you
or your cohabitation unit earned the previous year, is reviewed.
For example, the previous year of 2026 is 2025.

You can work
and receive the Minimum Vital Income at the same time,
as long as you do not exceed
the maximum income that is established.

What conditions must I meet
to collect the Minimum Vital Income?

The Minimum Vital Income is an aid
for people or units of coexistence.

The general conditions that must be met
to receive this aid are:

  • Living in Spain legally
    for more than 1 year.
  • Earn less money
    and have less heritage
    than the aid marks.
  • May your unit of coexistence live together
    for more than six months.
  • The person asking for help
    must be over 23 years of age.
  • The person asking for help
    cannot be an administrator
    of a company.

In addition to these general conditions,
there are other special conditions
that must be met.
There are also some exceptions.
You can read them all in this link:

You must meet these conditions
when you ask for help
and for as long as you are charging for it.
If your personal situation
or the situation of any of the people
in your cohabitation unit changes, you must notify
the Social Security
to recalculate the help
you are going to receive.

What is the unity of coexistence?

A unit of coexistence are people
who live together and who are family.

They can be:

  • Married couples.
  • De facto couples
    De facto couples must be
    de facto couples for 2 years before asking for help.
    They must also live together
    for more than 5 years.
  • Parents or in-laws.
  • Children or son-in-law.
  • Brothers or brother-in-law.
  • Grandparents or grandchildren.
  • Adopted or accepted minors.

If you live with people
who are not from your family,
you can also ask for help.
For that, the social services
will make you a certificate that says
that these people are not from your family.

What are the income
and the maximum
wealth I can have to ask for help?

To receive the Minimum Vital Income
there are maximum net income
that you can have in your coexistence unit.

There is also a maximum heritage
that you can have among all of them.

  • If the previous year you exceeded
    the maximum net income
    or maximum assets established
    , you will not be able to collect the aid.

  • If the previous year you did not exceed
    the maximum net income,
    nor the maximum established asset
    will receive the aid.

    The amount you will charge will be the difference
    between your income,
    if you have it,
    and the maximum income established
    according to the type of living unit
    you have.

The maximum income you can have
in your cohabitation unit
depends on how many people you are.

Below
you can see the maximum income per month and year 2026
by type of living unit:

  • The maximum income will be
    734 euros per month
    or 8 thousand 803 euros per year

  • The maximum income will be
    954 euros per month
    or 11 thousand 444 euros per year

  • The maximum income will be
    1,174 euros per month
    or 14,85 euros per year

  • The maximum income will be
    one thousand 394 euros per month
    or 16 thousand 726 euros per year

  • The maximum income will be
    one thousand 614 euros per month
    or 19 thousand 367 euros per year

  • The maximum income will be
    954 euros per month
    or 11 thousand 444 euros per year

  • The maximum income will be
    1,174 euros per month
    or 14,85 euros per year

  • The maximum income will be
    one thousand 394 euros per month
    or 16 thousand 726 euros per year

  • The maximum income will be
    one thousand 614 euros per month
    or 19 thousand 367 euros per year

  • The maximum income will be
    1,174 euros per month
    or 14,85 euros per year

  • The maximum income will be
    one thousand 394 euros per month
    or 16 thousand 726 euros per year

  • The maximum income will be
    one thousand 614 euros per month
    or 19 thousand 367 euros per year

  • The maximum income will be
    one thousand 394 euros per month
    or 16 thousand 726 euros per year

  • The maximum income will be
    one thousand 614 euros per month
    or 19 thousand 367 euros per year

  • The maximum income will be
    one thousand 614 euros per month
    or 19 thousand 367 euros per year

The Child Support Supplement doesn’t have to be ordered separately.
When you apply for the Minimum Vital Income
, Social Security also checks
if you meet the conditions
for receiving the Child Support Supplement.

To receive the Child Support Supplement,
the maximum income you can have
is a little higher.

There are some aids or parts of the estate
that are not taken into account
to calculate how much you have.
In this link you can see
the detailed rules to calculate
the income and heritage
of your coexistence unit:

How much money
can I receive with the help?

The government establishes an amount
that all people
must have in order to live.
That amount is called
Guaranteed Income.

What you will charge will be the difference
between what you earn in your unit of coexistence
and that Guaranteed Income.

For example, if in your coexistence unit
you are 2 adults and 2 minors,
the Guaranteed Income is 1,394 euros per month.

If among all you only earn 600 euros,
the help will be 794 euros per month,
so that you can get to the Guaranteed Income.


 

Can you change the amount of money
I receive from the help?

The amount of aid money
is calculated based on your personal situation.
If your personal situation or that of any person
in your cohabitation unit changes,
you will have to calculate the help again.

Each year, on January 1st,
the amount
of aid you will receive is recalculated.

How can I request
the Minimum Vital Income?

The Minimum Vital Income is requested online
or in person.

There are 2 ways to ask for Minimum Vital Income
online:

  • If you have a digital certificate
    or use the Cl@ve app:
    You can fill in the application
    and send all the documents
    that are needed in this link:

    Request IMV with digital certificate or Cl@ve
    (Important! The link information
    is not in Easy Reading.)

    It can also be requested by you
    by a person who has a digital certificate
    or uses the Cl@ve application.

  • If you do not have a digital certificate
    or use the Cl@ve app:
    You can fill in the application
    and send all the documents
    that are needed in this link:

    Request IMV without digital certificate or Cl@ve
    (Important! The link information
    is not in Easy Reading.)

You can watch this video
to find out how to ask for help:

To request the Minimum Vital Income
in person you can go
to the CAISS offices.
CAISS are the first letters of the words
Cwithin Atention and Information of the Ssecurity Social.
where procedures
are carried out that have to do with pensions,
benefits and other services.

What is the incentive to Employment?

An incentive is a reward
given to someone for doing something.

Since 2023, there is an incentive
for people who collect
the Minimum Vital Income
and start working.

The incentive is that some
of what you earn by working
isn’t counted when you calculate your income.
So, you have more money available.

The amount of money that is not counted
in the income will be 60%
of the Guaranteed Income.

For example, if in your coexistence unit
you are 2 adults and 2 minors,
the Guaranteed Income is 1,394 euros per month
or 16,726 euros per year.
60% of the Guaranteed Income is 836 euros per month
or 10 thousand 36 euros per year.

If one of the adults starts working
and earns less 836 euros per month
or 10 thousand 36 euros per year,
they would not be counted as income
and would receive full help,
just as before finding work.

However, if it earned more than 836 euros
per month or 10 thousand 35 euros per year
, the aid would have to be recalculated.

The employment incentive is calculated
on the increase in income
from the previous year.
For example, the employment incentive
in 2026 is calculated taking into account
the increase in income from 2025 over
income from 2024.

The employment incentive is applied
annually.

In this link you can calculate
how much the help
would change if you started working:

Frequently asked questions

  1. Can I apply for the Minimum Vital Income
    if I have an income?

    Yes, you can ask for it.
    It doesn’t matter if you work for other people
    or if you are self-employed.
    The important thing is that you do not earn more
    than the Guaranteed Income.

    For example, if in your coexistence unit
    you are 2 adults and 1 minor,
    the Guaranteed Income is 1,174 euros per month.

    If you pay 300 euros per month,
    the assistance will be 874 euros per month,
    so that you can get to the Guaranteed Income.

    In addition, to calculate your income
    there are some things that do not count.
    For example:

    • The grants for the study
    • The aid for housing
    • The food pension for the children.

  2. How do I calculate my income
    to know if I can ask for
    the Minimum Vital Income?

    The most important thing is to know
    that your net income does not exceed
    the Guaranteed Income.
    To know, all your net income from last year is taken into account
    .

    You can also ask for help
    if your net income this year
    is below the Guaranteed Income.
    Then, at the end of the year,
    it will be checked how much you earned
    and the amount of the aid will be adjusted.

  3. For how long
    can I collect the Minimum Vital Income?

    The Minimum Vital Income does not expire.
    You can continue to collect it
    while you meet the conditions for it.

    The Social Security checks
    from time to time that you or your unit of coexistence
    continue to meet the requirements.

  4. How is the help paid?

    It is paid each month
    through your bank account.
    It is important that the bank account
    is in the name of the person
    who asked for help.

    If you want more information
    click on this link to go to the Minimum Vital Income website
    :
    (Important
    The information in the following link
    is not in Easy Read).
    https://www.inclusion.gob.es/web/inclusion/ingreso-minimo-vital/que-es

Words that you should know

Unity of coexistence

People in your family who live with you.

Heritage

A set of goods or things of value that a person has.

Couples in fact

Couples who live together and who have not been married,
but have signed up on a record.

Evicted

When a person is left out of
society and cannot participate.

Digital certificate

It is a digital ID
to make procedures and sign documents.

Cl@ve

It is an application of the Government
to make procedures on the Internet.

Maintenance of food

It is the money paid
each month by the father or mother
of the children
after a divorce.
This money is used to cover the expenses
of minors.

Administrator

He is the person who is in charge
of running a company
and making important decisions.
For example:

  • Decide how the money is spent.
  • Organize the work.
  • Sign documents.

It is the person who represents the company before
other people or institutions.

Social Security

Social Security
is a public service
that the State
has to provide financial assistance to people
at different times in their lives.
For example, the minimum vital income,
retirement or medical leave.
This is done through
the National Institute
of Social Security or INSS.

Net revenue

These are the income you receive
once your taxes and the money
you are required to pay
to Social Security when you work have been removed
.
This money is called
social security contributions.