Dependency Assessment and Benefits in Spain

Posted on Feb 2, 2025 in Other university degrees and diplomas

The RD 504/2007 establishes the scale for assessing a person’s ability to perform Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and the need for support and supervision for people with intellectual disabilities or mental illness.

The assessment considers health reports, social and technical aids, orthoses, and prostheses used by the disabled person. Autonomous Communities (CC.AA) are responsible for establishing assessment bodies that issue opinions on the degree and level of dependency, specifying the care needed for each person.

Once the scale is applied, the report classifies the individual into the following grades:

  • Grade I. Moderate dependence: The person needs help to perform various ADLs at least once a day or requires intermittent or limited support for personal autonomy.
  • Grade II. Severe dependence: The person needs help to perform various ADLs two or three times a day but does not require continuous support from a carer or has extensive support needs for personal autonomy.
  • Grade III. High dependence: The person needs help to perform various ADLs several times a day, has a total loss of physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairment, and requires continuous support from another person or has widespread support needs for personal autonomy.

RD 727/2007 of June 8 includes criteria for determining the needs for protection of services and the amount of economic benefits under Act 39/2006. The Act lists the services available to disabled individuals in Grade III (High dependence) and Grade II (Severe dependence).

Main Benefits for People in Situations of Dependency

The main benefits for people in a situation of dependency are:

  1. Services facilitated by the universal Social Services Network of CC.AA through service centers and public or private schools.
  2. Where applicable, care may be paid for through an allowance, a benefit regularly linked to the acquisition of a service that responds to the specific needs of the beneficiary.
  3. Exceptionally, an allowance may be paid for care provided by relatives of the person in a situation of dependency.

The legal recognition of dependency is essential to access any of these services. (Application for recognition of dependency.)

Services Available to Legally Declared Persons in Situations of Dependency

Services that can be accessed by legally declared persons in situations of dependency are:

  1. Prevention Services Unit situations.
  2. Telecare Service.
  3. Helpdesk Address: Addressing the needs of home and personal care.
  4. Day and Night Service Centers: Day Centers for seniors, Day Centers for children under 65 years, Specialty Care Day and Night Centers.
  5. Residential Care Services: Nursing homes for older people in a situation of dependency, Centers for people with disabilities.

Financial Benefits for People with Dependency

The financial benefits available to people with dependency are:

  1. Aid for family care and support to carers. The disabled person can receive this when the Individual Care Program is established.
  2. The economic benefit associated with a service, which is obtained only when it is not possible to access a public or concerted care service.
  3. The economic benefit of personal assistance, which aims to contribute to the recruitment of staff assistance for a few hours to facilitate the dependent person’s access to education, work, and more independent living in ADLs.

The perception of aid may change or disappear under three assumptions:

  • The person’s personal situation-dependent changes.
  • The requirements for recognition vary.
  • For the breach of obligations under the Act.

In 2009, the Ministry of Health and Social Policy approved the establishment of the Monitoring Committee for Agenda Disability Policy and Promotion of Personal Autonomy.