Spain's Congress passes dependency reform, locks in 50% state funding and 6.2 billion euro injection

What happened

On Tuesday, 14 July 2026, the Spanish Congress passed a comprehensive reform of the country's Dependency and Disability laws. The reform garnered 179 votes in favour from the governing Socialists (PSOE), their junior coalition partner Sumar and their parliamentary allies. The conservative Popular Party (PP) abstained with 137 votes, while the far-right Vox party cast the only 33 votes against. The legislation now moves to the Senate for final approval.

Timeline of the reform

The path to the vote began in June when the Council of Ministers approved the decree-law and reform proposal, followed by a committee vote on 9 July and Tuesday's plenary session.

Funding commitment

The reform locks in a legal obligation for the central state to cover 50% of all regional dependency spending, up from 27% in 2024. To meet this target, the government also validated a royal decree-law injecting an extra 6.2 billion euros into the system across 2026 and 2027. Total investment is projected to reach 7.239 billion euros in 2027. The decree-law passed with 317 votes in favour, including backing from the PP, and only Vox opposing.

Political dynamics

The PP justified its abstention on the reform itself by questioning whether the government can deliver the promised funds without a formal budget.

We will vote in favour because we understand the importance of public resources.

But the PP's health spokeswoman accused the executive of "promising what it knows it cannot pay tomorrow." Vox's María Ruiz dismissed the measures as a "deception." Despite the tensions, Social Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy welcomed the PP's partial support, calling their vote on the financing a "yes for a better life for millions of people."

Minister's vision

Bustinduy framed the overhaul as the biggest social reform in Spain this century, comparing it to the creation of public pensions, healthcare and education.

The 14th of July will be remembered for decades as the day the care system was refounded.

He stressed a shift away from large, isolated care homes toward a rights-based model that lets people age in their own dwellings. According to the minister, 90% of the population wants to grow old at home.

Next steps

The reform bill goes to the Senate for final passage. Once enacted, the extra 6.2 billion euros will begin flowing immediately to reduce waiting lists, improve working conditions in the care sector and permanently set the state's funding share at 50%. The legislation also expands the catalogue of services and strengthens the rights of both caregivers and dependent individuals.