Spain confirms a ‘basic income’ will start paying people hardest hit by COVID-19 from May and it will be a permanent fixture of the Spanish economy

THE Government is finalising the details of the ‘Minimum Vital Income’, expected to be operational in May.

Pablo Iglesias, Second Deputy Prime Minister, confirmed the news on social media

He wrote: “The #MinimumVitalIncome will soon be a reality in Spain. We have reached an agreement to advance its implementation and by May this new social right will be in place to help millions of people who are in a critical economic situation.”

The aid will be around €500 per month and aims to protect those most in need.

The Minimum Vital Income is intended for those who live alone and whose income is below €200 or those who live with another person with a joint household income of below €450.

The aid will reach more than one million homes and at least 10% will go to single-parent families.

The Government has assured that it is a ‘permanent’ benefit, meaning it will continue once the state of alarm is lifted.

This aid cannot be combined with others that the Government has introduced since March 14.

The Government is yet to specify the channels for soliciting this aid, but expects to make it public in the coming weeks.