Turning family care into a formal, paid arrangement

Key rules

• Who pays: Since April 2019 the State pays the Social Security contributions for non-professional carers named in the care plan, so the carer does not pay.
• Cash benefit: The family-care cash benefit is exceptional and only granted if the PIA recognises it.
• Regional rules: Amounts and access conditions are set by each region, so confirm them locally.
• Services first: Services take priority over cash benefits in the dependency system.

What a family carer can get

If you look after a dependent relative at home, two kinds of support may apply: a cash benefit paid to you, and Social Security cover through the convenio especial for carers. Both depend on the care plan (the PIA) that your region draws up for the person you care for.

The cash benefit for family carers

This is the prestación económica para cuidados en el entorno familiar. It is exceptional. It is only granted when:

• the person lives at home,
• the home conditions allow care there, and
• the PIA recognises the benefit.

In law, services come first and cash benefits second. Expect the region to look at a service place before it offers money. Amounts and access conditions are set by each region and are updated, so ask the regional dependency office for the current figures.

Two other cash benefits exist, but they are not for family carers. One is paid to buy a service from a private provider when no public place is available. The other pays for a personal assistant who helps with work, education and daily life. It is open to people with grade III and, depending on the rules, grades II and I. The decision block below helps you choose between the three.

Social Security cover through the convenio especial

The convenio especial lets non-professional carers keep paying into Social Security, so your care work still counts toward your record. The State pays the contributions, so you do not pay. This has been the case since April 2019.

To qualify, you generally need to:

• be named as the carer in the PIA, with the family-care benefit,
• be registered,
• not work in another activity that already gives you Social Security cover.

You apply through the Seguridad Social, and you attach the resolution that grants the benefit. The contribution base is a fixed amount set each year. Since 2024, changes have widened access and allowed some carers without a previous Social Security record to join.

When you could still have to pay

If you fall outside the conditions, for example you are not named as carer in the PIA, the convenio may not apply to you. Then you could be asked to pay contributions yourself. Check your case with the Seguridad Social before you rely on the cover.

Do it in this order

1. Make sure the dependency assessment and the PIA are in place.
2. Apply to the Seguridad Social for the convenio especial, with the resolution.

The questions below cover the most common doubts.

Choosing between options

Which kind of cash support fits your care situation?

• Cash benefit for a family carer: The person lives at home, the home conditions allow it, and the care plan (PIA) recognises this benefit. It is exceptional, because services come first.

• Cash benefit to buy a private service: No public service place is available, so you pay a private provider for the service instead.

• Cash benefit for a personal assistant: The person needs help with work, education and daily life, and has grade III or, depending on the regional rules, grades II and I.

Services come first. Ask for a cash benefit only when no public place is available or the exceptional family-care conditions are met. If you care for the person yourself and are named in the care plan, you can also apply for the carers' convenio especial, which keeps your Social Security contributions going.

Frequently asked questions

Does the family-care cash benefit replace services?

No, the family-care cash benefit is exceptional, and services come first in law.

Who can join the carers' convenio especial?

You can join if you are a carer named in the care plan with the family-care benefit, you are registered, and you do not work in another covered activity. You apply through the Seguridad Social (TGSS/INSS) with the resolution. Changes since 2024 have widened access, and some carers with no earlier Social Security record can now join.

Could I still have to pay contributions as a family carer?

Yes, you could still have to pay if the convenio does not apply to your situation, for example when you are not named in the care plan. Ask the Seguridad Social before assuming the State covers you.