Catalan government implements guaranteed minimum income

The Catalan government is providing a guaranteed minimum income (RGC) to its citizens starting on Friday, September 15, thus extending and simplifying the country's social safety net. The beneficiaries will be eligible to earn up to €564: a fixed income of €414, plus an extra €150 if they engage in employment programs.

After a 4-year-long legal process that started with a citizens’ initiative backed by 121,191 signatures, the Catalan Parliament unanimously passed a bill on July 12 providing a legal framework to provide the guaranteed minimum income for Catalan citizens.

The conditions for receiving the RGC are: being older than 23 years old, not having any other income or benefits, being a resident of Catalonia (and having lived in the country for at least 2 years), and not owning any properties other than one's own home. The only exception will be one-parent families with temporary jobs.