In February, the Minimum Living Income (MLI) reached 557,405 beneficiary families, a figure that marks a 28% increase compared with the same month in 2023, when 435,037 households were supported. This comes from a new statistics report on the MLI released by the Ministry of Social Security. For the first time since the benefit was introduced in June 2020, monthly data on recipients is being published, providing a clearer view of how many families rely on this state subsidy.
The 557,405 beneficiary families in February represent a total of 1,669,361 people, which is 34.75% higher than a year earlier. The monthly payroll for the benefit amounts to 346.41 million euros, an increase of 39.54% compared with February 2023. The average amount per household in February stood at 500.04 euros, down 0.78% from February 2023, according to the new statistics disclosed by the Ministry of Social Security.
To date, the government had only published cumulative data on individuals who had benefited or were still receiving the MLI. By February, that cumulative figure rises to 773,654 families and a total of 2.3 million people. That means, since the program began in June 2020, a total of 773,654 families have benefited from the MLI, while the February payroll included 557,405 families. It can be inferred that the remaining 216,249 households no longer meet the vulnerability and low-income criteria required to qualify for the subsidy, as the program continues to guarantee a minimum income threshold for those in need.
In Catalonia, the MLI supported 37,079 families in February, an increase of 44.9% compared with a year earlier. The distribution spans across Barcelona province with 22,420 households, and additional concentrations in Tarragona with 6,312 households, Girona with 5,498, and Lleida with 2,849 households. The regional breakdown helps illustrate how the policy reaches different parts of the country and how local conditions influence eligibility and uptake.
These figures come at a moment when policy makers are examining how to calibrate social support programs to respond to ongoing financial pressures faced by households. Analysts point to the interplay between wage growth, employment rates, and the threshold that determines eligibility, all of which shape the number of families that qualify and the average benefit each receives.
From an operational perspective, the publication of monthly recipient data offers researchers and citizens a more timely gauge of the program’s reach. It also raises questions about how changes in the economic landscape, such as inflation or regional cost-of-living differences, may affect both eligibility and the actual take-up of the MLI across communities.
The February results underscore the program’s role as a stabilizing measure for families at risk of poverty. They also highlight the ongoing need for clear communication about eligibility criteria, update mechanisms, and the capacity of the social security system to track and adjust benefits in line with economic realities.
As the government continues to publish monthly statistics, observers anticipate more granular breakdowns by age, household composition, and income tier. Such data would enable a deeper understanding of how the MLI interacts with other social protections and to what extent it alleviates hardship in the short term while complementing longer-term poverty reduction strategies.