The 2023 General Government Budget project plans to expand the budget with a new monthly benefit of 100 euros for families with children aged 0 to 3. This provision was announced by the Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, during the presentation of public accounts in Congress. The political parties PSOE and United We Can agreed that this support should extend beyond working mothers and reach all mothers who receive unemployment benefits or subsidies, broadening the scope of the policy beyond its previous target group.
The measure, backed by the Department of Social Services led by Ione Belarra, has been under consideration from the outset. It is intended to be integrated into a future family law package that the Executive plans to submit to Congress before the end of October. In recent days, Montero indicated that both sides had reached a conclusion: it was appropriate for the policy to begin taking effect on January 1, 2023 as soon as the budgets were approved. The timing reflected a desire to align the new support with the annual budget cycle and legislative process.
The public accounts specify this proposal as an addition that would require an extra expenditure of 200 million euros. Montero noted that since the Budget is an annual rule, the measure would be embedded in family law to ensure its continuity over time, with a commitment to implement it in 2023 as agreed. This framing highlights the government’s intention to secure a stable funding path for the benefit within the broader family policy framework.
How does this help work?
At present, the 100-euro monthly aid is available to all working women who have children aged 0 to 3. United We Can had pressed for a universal application of the benefit. In the final arrangement, the widely desired universality was not achieved, but the measure will extend to women who are receiving unemployment benefits as well. This expansion represents a deliberate move to broaden social protection during early childhood and to reduce income gaps for families facing unemployment or reduced earnings. The outcome aligns with the goal of providing more inclusive support to families within the statutory framework and the social safety net, while acknowledging budgetary constraints and legislative timelines.