ALCOHOLICS in Spain can now claim permanent disability benefits, Social Security has confirmed, as courts begin to recognise the condition as a ‘chronic illness.’
In two groundbreaking cases over the past year, a waiter from Lleida and a self-employed driver in Asturias were awarded long-term disability benefits after courts ruled their alcoholism made them eligible for government support.
According to figures from Spain’s Ministry of Health, around 31% of residents in Spain drink alcohol at least once a week – with nearly 8% of adults reportedly drinking alcohol daily.
Law expert Pablo Rodenas said: “For years [alcoholism] was considered a vice, but today it is recognised as a disease, one that can seriously affect your working life. Social Security is granting permanent disability benefits for alcoholism.”
Alcoholism can cause serious damage to the body, particularly the liver, heart, and pancreas, leading to conditions such as cirrhosis, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
It also affects the brain and mental health, contributing to memory loss, cognitive decline, depression, anxiety, and in severe cases, alcohol-related psychosis.
Those wishing to claim permanent disability because of alcoholism must show medical evidence that their condition seriously affects their ability to work.
Doctors’ reports, medical histories, and health assessments are used by Social Security to decide if the addiction qualifies for disability support.
If a person meets the requirements, they may receive total or absolute permanent disability, depending on how much the condition stops them from doing their job.
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Total permanent disability gives a pension while still allowing the person to do limited work, while absolute permanent disability provides full support without expecting them to work again.
The process usually involves both administrative review and, in some cases, court appeals, as judges increasingly accept alcoholism as a serious health problem that deserves financial help.
Recent data from Spain’s Ministry of Health showed that in 2024, roughly 76.5% of Spaniards aged 15–64 reported having consumed alcohol in the past 12 months.
Of that group, the proportion engaging in risky drinking stood at about 6.0%.
Among younger adults (15–24), risky?consumption rates are higher: in a survey from 2022, over 10% of individuals in the age range met the criteria for risky drinking.
Meanwhile, binge-drinking remains relatively common: according to the 2024 report, 14.7% of people aged 15–64 admitted to having been drunk in the past year, and nearly 16% reported episodes of binge?drinking in the last 30 days.
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