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Birth and childcare benefit

Prestación por nacimiento y cuidado de menor

What it is

Since 01/04/2019 the former maternity and paternity benefits have been a single birth and childcare benefit. It covers leave for birth, adoption, pre-adoptive custody or foster care, for employed and self-employed workers. You must be affiliated and registered (or in an equivalent situation) and have a minimum contribution period depending on age: no minimum under 21; from 21 to 25, 90 days in the last 7 years or 180 over your working life; from 26, 180 days in the last 7 years or 360 over your working life. The allowance is 100 % of the regulatory base; it is managed by the INSS (the ISM for seafarers) and notifications are sent only electronically. Those who do not reach the minimum contributions may be entitled to a non-contributory allowance.

Official wording
Serán beneficiarias las personas trabajadoras por cuenta ajena o propia, cualquiera que sea su sexo, siempre que, se encuentren en situación de alta o asimilada al alta, disfruten de los periodos de suspensión del contrato de trabajo/permiso por nacimiento y cuidado de menor y acrediten los períodos mínimos de cotización exigibles en cada caso.

Official sources

Where it applies
All of Spain

Official information

Official sources

When

The benefit starts on the day of the birth, or earlier if the leave starts earlier: the birth mother can bring it forward up to 4 weeks before the due date set in the public health service's maternity report.

Official wording
La madre biológica podrá anticipar el descanso hasta 4 semanas antes de la fecha prevista para el parto, que vendrá fijada en el informe de maternidad del Servicio Público de Salud.

Official sources

Steps

  1. Step 1: Check the requirements

    Be affiliated and registered (or in an equivalent situation) at the start of each leave period, and have the minimum contributions for your age (none under 21; 90 days in 7 years or 180 over your working life from 21 to 25; 180 days in 7 years or 360 over your working life from 26). Those who pay their own contributions directly must be up to date with them.

    Official wording
    Estar afiliados o afiliadas y en alta o en situación asimilada al alta, al inicio de cada uno de los períodos de descanso.

    Official sources

  2. Step 2: Your employer sends its certificate

    If you are an employee, your employer sends through the RED System a certificate with the start and end dates of the birth leave (on paper for domestic workers).

    Official wording
    certificado de la empresa en el que conste la fecha del inicio y fin de la suspensión de la relación laboral por nacimiento y cuidado de menor

    Official sources

  3. Step 3: Submit the application

    Online on the Social Security Benefits Portal, or with the printed form and documents at a Social Security Service and Information Centre (CAISS) by appointment, or by ordinary post to the nearest Provincial Directorate.

    Official wording
    Para solicitar la prestación, se puede acceder al servicio en el Portal de Prestaciones de la Seguridad Social, o bien descargar e imprimir el formulario correspondiente

    Official sources

  4. Step 4: Decision

    The INSS has 30 days to decide from when the application is registered or the requested documents are provided. If documents are missing, you have 10 days from the request to provide them. Notifications and the decision are sent only electronically, on the e-office.

    Official wording
    el plazo máximo para resolver y notificar el procedimiento iniciado es de 30 días contados desde la fecha en la que su solicitud ha sido registrada en esta Dirección Provincial

    Official sources

Documents

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🖨 Printable bilingual document card (you can show it at the counter)

FAQ

How much is it?

100 % of the regulatory base, calculated from the common-contingencies contribution base of the previous month.

Official wording
La prestación económica por nacimiento y cuidado de menor consistirá en un subsidio equivalente al 100 por ciento de la base reguladora correspondiente

Official sources

Can I go back to work early?

Going back voluntarily before the end ends the entitlement, including the part still left. And you cannot go back before the six uninterrupted weeks after the birth have passed.

Official wording
La incorporación voluntaria y prematura al trabajo supone la extinción del derecho a la prestación, no solo de la que se esté disfrutando en ese momento, sino también la que reste (o quede) por disfrutar.

Official sources

I have not contributed enough. Do I get nothing?

If you meet all the requirements except the minimum contributions, you can apply for the non-contributory birth and childcare allowance.

Official wording
las personas trabajadoras que reúnan todos los requisitos establecidos para acceder a la prestación por nacimiento y cuidado de menor, salvo el período mínimo de cotización, podrán acceder al subsidio por nacimiento y cuidado de menor no contributivo.

Official sources

What about twins?

For each child from the second, there is a special allowance equal to that for the first during the 6 weeks after the birth. Only one parent receives it, paid in a single payment at the end of those 6 weeks.

Official wording
El subsidio, será abonado en un solo pago al término del período de 6 semanas.

Official sources

Related procedures

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