Regional minimum-income schemes and how they differ from the IMV

Terms used

• Ingreso mínimo vital — The ingreso mínimo vital (IMV) is the national minimum-income benefit for people with very low household income.
• Empadronamiento — The empadronamiento is your registration on the municipal roll of the town where you live.
• Servicios sociales — The servicios sociales are the town hall's social services, which assess your situation and help with benefit applications.
• INSS — The INSS is the national social security institute that handles the IMV in most of Spain.
• Lanbide — Lanbide is the Basque public employment and social benefits service.

Key rules

• Check your region: Every region has its own scheme, so the rules that count are those of the region where you are registered.
• Residence: Most regions ask for registration and a period of residence before you apply, and some shorten it for certain groups.
• Combined total: You can receive the IMV and a regional benefit together, but the total is capped at the regional amount.
• Basque Country and Navarre: These regions handle the IMV themselves instead of the INSS.

Your region sets the scheme, so check your own

Each autonomous community runs its own minimum-income scheme. Names, residence rules and the way the scheme works with the national ingreso mínimo vital (IMV) all differ. The Basque Country and Navarre have distinctive systems. Check the rules for the region where you are registered, not a neighbour's or the national picture.

What the schemes are called

Look for these names:

• Andalusia: Ingreso Mínimo de Solidaridad.
• Catalonia: Renda Garantida de Ciutadania.
• Madrid: Renta Mínima de Inserción.
• Valencia: Renta Valenciana de Inclusión.
• Galicia: Renda de Inclusión Social de Galicia (RISGA).
• Basque Country: Renta de Garantía de Ingresos, run by Lanbide.
• Navarre: Renta Garantizada.
• Castilla y León: Renta Garantizada de Ciudadanía.
• Aragon: Ingreso Aragonés de Inserción.

Other regions have their own too. Names and the offices that run them can change.

Residence and age rules

Most regions ask you to be on the municipal roll (empadronamiento) and to live in the region for a set time before you apply. This is usually 6 to 12 months. Some regions ask for 2 to 3 years. Historically Madrid and Catalonia asked for 1 year, and the Basque Country for 1 to 3 years.

Some regions shorten or waive the period for certain groups, such as victims of violence or emigrants returning to Spain. Ask whether your situation counts.

You usually need to be 23 to 25 or older, depending on the region, and to live in Spain legally. Register on the roll as soon as you have an address, because the residence clock often starts from that date.

How it works with the IMV

The IMV is the national floor. Regional schemes sit on top of it. In most regions you claim the IMV first, and the regional benefit then tops up the difference up to the regional amount. You can receive both, but the combined total is capped at the regional level. Some regions handle the two claims in parallel and others require the IMV first. Ask which applies to you.

The Basque Country and Navarre

These two regions have their own social security arrangements. They run their own schemes and also handle the IMV themselves, instead of the national social security office (INSS). The Basque government has done this since 2021 and Navarre since 2022. There the IMV is combined with the regional benefit as a complement. Apply through Lanbide in the Basque Country, and through the regional employment and social policy service in Navarre.

How to find your scheme

1. Search your regional government's social services website for renta mínima, renta garantizada or ingreso mínimo.
2. Book an appointment with the servicios sociales at your town hall. They assess your case and guide the application.
3. The national social security website also explains the IMV and the regional benefits linked to it.

The decision, checklist and FAQ below go through the offices and steps in more detail.

Choosing between options

Which office handles your minimum income claim and how does it combine with the regional benefit?

• Most regions: claim the IMV with the INSS, then the regional scheme: You live outside the Basque Country and Navarre.

• Basque Country: Lanbide: You live in the Basque Country. The Basque government handles the IMV itself, and it is combined with the Renta de Garantía de Ingresos as a complement.

• Navarre: regional employment and social policy service: You live in Navarre. Navarre handles the IMV itself, and it is combined with the Renta Garantizada as a complement.

Your region of residence decides which office you deal with. In every region the combined total is capped at the regional level.

Checklist

• Book an appointment with the servicios sociales at your town hall to check which scheme applies to you.

• Register on the municipal roll (empadronamiento) in your region and check how many months of residence the scheme asks for, usually 6 to 12 months.

• Check the minimum age for your scheme, usually 23 to 25, and that you have legal residence in Spain.

• Ask whether your situation, such as being a victim of violence or an emigrant returning, shortens or waives the residence period.

Frequently asked questions

Can I receive both the IMV and my regional minimum income?

Yes, you can usually receive both, but the combined total is capped at the regional amount. The regional benefit tops up the difference between the IMV and the regional level. Many regions ask you to claim the IMV first.

How long do I need to be registered in a region before applying for its scheme?

Most regions ask for registration (empadronamiento) and effective residence of 6 to 12 months before you apply. Some ask for 2 to 3 years, and some shorten or waive it for groups such as victims of violence or emigrants returning. Applicants usually must also be 23 to 25 or older and legally resident in Spain.

Is the IMV handled differently in the Basque Country and Navarre?

Yes, in the Basque Country and Navarre the regional government handles the IMV itself instead of the INSS, the national social security institute.

Where do I start to find the scheme for my town?

Start with your regional government's social services website and search for renta mínima, renta garantizada or ingreso mínimo. Then ask the servicios sociales at your town hall, usually by appointment, to guide your application.