what is what to do to get

The dependency complement is a support intended for those who depend on third parties to carry out essential basic activities. Know the value and who can ask.

THE add-on by dependency It is a Social Security benefit for those who are in a situation where they need help from another person to meet basic needs.

Thus, this amount, which serves as an extra support, applies not only to pensioners but also to recipients of other benefits. They must have a disability that does not allow them to perform, without help, tasks such as personal hygiene, eating or moving around.

They are, therefore, in a situation of dependence on third parties. The amount you receive depends on the degree of disability, but also on the type of benefit you already receive. The dependency complement, as the name implies, can accumulate with other supports.

Dependency add-on: who is it for?

The supplement for dependency is, therefore, a value to support those who, due to disability, may be in a situation of greater social or economic fragility. This monthly installment covers:

The dependency complement can cover situations of permanent incapacity for work with a prognosis of rapid evolution to a situation of loss of autonomy that negatively affects the exercise of the profession.

Diseases such as familial paramyloidosis, Machado-Joseph disease (DMJ), HIV, multiple sclerosis, oncological diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease (PD) or Alzheimer’s disease may be at the origin of this loss of autonomy ( AD) and rare diseases.

What if you already receive other support?

This is a supplementary provision. Thus, it can be accumulated with a disability, old-age or survivor pension under the general regime and the special regime for agricultural activities.

With regard to a non-contributory or equivalent regime, it can be attributed to those who receive social pension for old age, orphanhood, widowhood, transitional rural pension or social benefit for inclusion.

Since this is support for those who cannot carry out certain tasks without help, it obviously cannot be combined with earnings from work.

If you are already receiving another benefit for the same purpose, you are not entitled to this supplement either. The same applies if you are a beneficiary of the main informal caregiver support subsidy.

What are the attribution conditions?

One of the conditions to be able to receive this amount is to need the assistance of another person to meet the basic needs of everyday life, such as doing housework, eating, moving around or taking care of your hygiene.

It is also taken into account the dependency situation, which must be certified by the Social Security Disability Verification System. They exist two degrees of disability:

• 1st degree – covers people who are unable to carry out, independently, indispensable acts to satisfy basic needs of daily life. That is, related to food or locomotion or personal hygiene care;
• 2nd degree – includes people who accumulate the dependency situations that characterize the 1st degree and are bedridden or with severe dementia.

Social Security differentiates between two situations in which a dependent pensioner is in a nursing home.

Thus, if it is a non-subsidized institution, it is entitled to the complement for dependency of the 2nd degree. If the home has State support, the pensioner only receives the supplement for 1st degree dependency.

Who should provide assistance?

As far as assistance is concerned, this it can be provided by several people, including in the context of home care or other similar services, such as telealarm services.

People who provide support, even if they are family members, must have the autonomy to carry out basic acts of daily life.

Support for the dependent person can also be provided by an official or private social support establishment, whether or not for profit.

What is the value of the complement per dependency?

The amount corresponds to a percentage of the amount of the Social Pension and varies according to the degree of dependency. The social pension has, in 2023, the amount of €213.91.

Thus, the current amounts are:

Pensioners or beneficiaries of the General Regime

• 50% of the amount of the Social Pension, depending on the 1st grade: €106.96;
• 90% of the amount of the Social Pension, depending on the 2nd degree: €192.52.

Pensioners or beneficiaries of the Special Regime for Agricultural Activities, the Non-Contributory Regime and Similar Regimes

• 45% of the amount of the Social Pension, depending on the 1st grade: €96.26;
• 85% of the amount of the Social Pension, depending on the 2nd degree: €181.82.

Support is paid to the beneficiary or the person or institution to whom your pension is being paid. In the months of July and December of each year, the value doubles.

How long is it assigned?

The beneficiary receives the dependency complement as long as the situation of dependency remains and you are receiving the pension that entitles you to the supplement. If one of these situations ceases, you will no longer receive the supplement on the last day of the month in which this happens.

Can support be suspended?

Yes. If there is a suspension of the payment of the pension or if you are not receiving the assistance indicated in the application. If you prevent or postpone the assessment of the dependency situation by the Social Security Disability Verification System, there is also a suspension.

How to order the complement by dependency?

The request can be made by the dependent person, by their family members or by other persons or institutions that provide or are willing to provide assistance.

You can apply for the supplement due to dependence on Social Security services. It is necessary to fill in the form Mod.RP5027-DGSS and submit together with the following documents:

• Identification documents of the beneficiary, the applicant and the persons or institution providing assistance;.
• Beneficiary NIF;
• If you want the payment to be made by bank transfers: document from the banking institution proving the IBAN.

Article originally published in July 2019. Last updated in January 2023.