The council definitively approves social emergency aid

The City Council of Baralla has made public the final approval of the Municipal Ordinance Regulating Social Emergency Aid in the Official Bulletin of the Province of Lugo (No. 186, 17 August 2026). The Plenary of the Corporation adopted the agreement on 30 July 2026, and the regulation will enter into force fifteen working days after its publication, in accordance with Article 65.2 of Law 7/1985, of 2 April, Regulating the Bases of Local Government.

The ordinance was signed by the mayor Miguel González Piñeiro on 2 August 2026 and falls within the powers that Articles 25.2.k) and 84.1 of the LRBRL and Article 80.2.k) of Law 5/1997, of 22 July, on Local Administration of Galicia grant to municipalities in the field of social services. It regulates the direct granting of extraordinary economic benefits —in place of the ordinary procedure of competitive bidding— for reasons of public, social and humanitarian interest, with the aim of supporting individuals and families who lack resources to meet basic needs not covered by public systems.

Subsidisable amounts

The regulation establishes the following maximum amounts per application:

Rent or mortgages: up to 1,000 euros per year
Housing supplies (water, electricity, gas): up to 600 euros per year
Alternative accommodation: up to 600 euros per year
Basic subsistence needs (food, clothing, health expenses): up to 500 euros per year
Basic household equipment (appliances, mattresses, clothing): up to 400 euros per year
Health and pharmaceutical expenses not covered by public systems: up to 300 euros per year
Other expenses of a primary and urgent nature: up to 500 euros per year

In no case may the total amounts received by the family unit in one calendar year exceed the equivalent of three times the current monthly IPREM. The aid may be paid in several monthly instalments if so established by the reference professional.

Economic hardship scales

To prove the situation of economic hardship, the ordinance uses the IPREM (Public Indicator of Multiple Effects Income) as an indicator and establishes monthly net income thresholds that must not be exceeded, after deducting rent or mortgage expenses up to a maximum of 300 euros per month:

One-member family unit: up to 75% of the IPREM
Two members: up to 85%
Three members: up to 95%
Four members: up to 105%
Five or more members: up to 115%, increasing by 10 points for each additional member

Income shall be calculated according to the period of the three months prior to the date of submission of the application. Expenses arising from tax obligations, debts with Social Security, fines for non-compliance with ordinances or condemnatory court judgments are not eligible for aid.

Requirements to be a beneficiary

Natural persons may access these subsidies if they, for themselves or for their cohabiting family unit, meet the following requirements:

Be registered in the municipality of Baralla continuously for a minimum of six months prior to the date of application
Be of legal age or an emancipated minor
Prove a situation of need at the discretion of community social services
Be included in a social intervention project, or expressly accept the conditions of the project drawn up for them
Not have been a beneficiary of a subsidy for the same purpose within the same financial year
Not receive a subsidy from another administration that covers 100% of the need

Exceptionally, persons who do not meet the prior registration requirement may be beneficiaries, provided that a report from social services justifies the seriousness or urgency of the situation.

Covered situations and control

The ordinance identifies four blocks of eligible expenses: housing or accommodation (including emergency situations such as eviction, incidents or essential repairs); basic subsistence needs (food, clothing and healthcare); expenses related to school-age minors (canteen, books, materials and extracurricular activities); and other situations of immediate urgency justified in the social report.

The grant is conditional upon the submission, within one month, of invoices or documents proving the intended use of the awarded amount. The order of granting will be chronological by date of application. Community social services are responsible for monitoring and controlling the subsidies and may request as many documents as necessary for their function. In the event of non-compliance with obligations, the amounts will be recovered, with the legally established late payment interest being required.

The new ordinance responds to the need for the municipality of Baralla to guarantee a rapid and efficient social response to situations of economic emergency that may affect its citizens. With clear regulation of the scales, amounts and procedures, the rule offers legal certainty to both applicants and the municipal administration in the management of this social protection instrument.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Lugo, no. 186, 17 August 2026, section I, p. 11 and following (official reference: R. 2190).