The Ministry of Equality and Inclusive Policies did not act on the Ombudsman Ángel Luna’s recommendations to resolve Valencia Inclusion Income files (RVI) within the six month legal window. The advocate explains that when requests are finally made, the department can take the full maximum time to respond, and often the citizen must wait more than a year to find out whether they qualify. In many cases, even after this long delay the applicant is excluded from the aid despite meeting the basic requirements and could be left without the necessary support for extended periods.
ex officio complaint
The Ombudsman Institution filed an ex officio complaint last October concerning Valencia inclusion income. The delay is not only an injustice for those who work for short periods, but it may also violate their rights and discourage them from seeking work for fear of losing benefits. The concern is that delays undermine access to essential support when income is uncertain or low.
The investigation highlights that the Ombudsman has pressed the Ministry to address the delays, but little progress has been publicly disclosed. The Ministry has stated it is working to resolve the problem and to process files within the legally required timeframe, yet the latest updates suggest persistent backlogs that affect many claimants.
Ombudsman’s Decline to Equality: Mas accuses Ministry of obstructing an investigation
The Ombudsman notes that Equality has not adopted the measures needed to implement the agency advice aimed at reducing delays in approving RVI benefits. The core issue identified is the prolonged processing time, which stands as the central cause of the ongoing concerns. The Ministry has indicated that there are efforts underway to address the backlog, but the public updates specify only that work is being done to ensure folders move through the system within the legally established period.
Petition
If the Ministry rejects the Ombudsman’s recommendation to approve the RVI for those lacking income at the time of the request, a person who finds work for less than twelve months may have the aid suspended and their RVI registration reactivated only after a return to unemployment as required by law. In cases where the recipient is employed at the time of requesting the benefit, the resolution may block access to Valencia income protections. The Ministry argues that qualification may be limited to a supplementary income method earned through work, yet this method has not been implemented yet, leaving some applicants without a viable path to support.
The Advocate believes that the Ministry’s position undermines the authority of the law creating the RVI and prevents vulnerable individuals from obtaining essential benefits when their income is zero or near zero.