Respir Plus programme
Description: 

This is a financial support programme aimed at improving the quality of life of dependent elderly people who require continuous support to carry out the basic activities of daily living. It also provides a break for their carers.

These subsidies may cover all or part of the cost of limited temporary stays in private residential homes for the elderly, or the temporary provision of private home care services for the elderly.
 

Requirements: 

The following requirements refer to the person for whom the aid is being requested (not to the carer)

Age: Be 65 years of age or older (exceptionally, between 60 and 65 years of age, as long as the rest of the compulsory requirements to enjoy the service are met).

Registration in the municipal register: To be registered as a resident of Barcelona city continuously for the five years prior to the date of submission of the application.

Income: Below is the table of maximum annual income thresholds for the person for whom the aid is being requested, depending on whether or not they can prove they have dependents (disabled or not).

When the annual income of the person for whom the aid is being requested is below the minimum thresholds indicated in the table below, the minimum thresholds are used to calculate the amount of the benefits. Therefore, there is no minimum income threshold to qualify for the benefits of the Respir Plus Programme.

The income thresholds in the table refer only to the income of the person for whom the aid is being requested:

No. of dependants in the family nucleus (1)

No. of people with a disability of 33% or more in the family nucleus (2) Applicant’s minimum* annual income threshold Applicant’s maximum* annual income threshold

0

0

€3.269,67 

€32.696,70 

1

0

€12.611,59 

€42.038,64 

1

1

€12.611,59 

€42.038,64 

2

0

€19.150,93 

€48.577,98 

2

1

€21.953,51 

€51.380,56 

2

2

€21.953,51 

€51.380,56 

3

0

€25.690,28 

€55.117,33 

3

1

€28.492,85 

€57.919,90 

(*)Table prepared with the sufficiency income indicator [IRSC] for the year 2024 (€9,069.83 per year).

(1) The following shall be considered as dependants in the family nucleus:

  • The spouse or cohabiting partner.
  • Ascendants over 65 years of age.
  • Descendants or persons related through guardianship or foster care who are under 25 or over 25 years of age and have a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%.

In any of the situations mentioned above, the applicant must live with the person for whom the aid is being requested, and must have no income, or their income must be equal to or less than the IRSC (€9,341.92 per year).

(2) Persons with a certified disability of 33% or more.

The minimum threshold of ineligible income will be determined by the following assumptions:

  • 35% of the Catalan Income Sufficiency Indicator (IRSC) in force at the time of publication of these rules, in the case of users without dependants.
  • For users with a dependant, the same criteria as in the previous point will be maintained, as well as a coefficient of 1.0 for the dependant.
  • For users with more than one dependant, the same criteria indicated in the previous points will be maintained, as well as a coefficient of 0.7 for each dependant, starting with the second dependant. If any of these dependants has a disability certificate, the coefficient to be maintained will always be 1.0.

Dependency: The persons for whom the aid is being requested must have a recognised degree of dependency (Grade II or Grade III) at the time of application.

If the person does not have Grade II or III status and is a user of social services, the technical team of the Department of Residential and Day Care and Housing Alternatives for the Elderly of the Municipal Institute of Social Services (IMSS) will have to issue a social report assessing the need for support.

If the person does not have Grade II or III status and is not a user of basic social services, the need for support must be stated in a medical report issued by a primary care or specialised care doctor in the public health system.

Amount and frequency: 

Amount:

The programme entitles the beneficiary to a one-off financial subsidy for the payment of private support services, either for a temporary stay in a residential centre or for a private home care service:

a) Temporary stay in a residential centre for the elderly located in Catalonia, registered in the Register of Social Entities, Services and Establishments (RESES), chosen by the applicant:

The residential stay will take place during the year 2024 until 5 December, and will have a MAXIMUM duration of:

  • 45 calendar days if the applicant can prove that he/she is cohabiting with the carer at the time of application.
  • 30 calendar days if the applicant does NOT prove cohabitation.
  • The amount of the benefit shall be a MAXIMUM of 75 euros/day and a MINIMUM of 7.5 euros/day.
  • This amount shall be determined on the basis of the applicant’s disposable income and the number of days requested, according to the following formula:
  • Price/day (euros) = ( (€32,696.72 – Annual income) / €435.9563 ) + 7.5

Examples (applicant with no dependants):

Annual income

Annual income = 3,269 euros or les     Price/day = 75 euros (maximum)
Annual income = 5,000 euros     Price/day = 71.03 euros
Annual income = 10,000 euros     Price/day = 59.56 euros
Annual income = 20,000 euros     Price/day = 36.62 euros
Annual income = 25,000 euros     Price/day = 25.15 euros
Annual income = 30,000 euros     Price/day = 13.69 euros
Annual income = 32,696euros     Price/day = 7.5 euros
Annual income = 33,000 euros     Price/day = 0 euros

b) Private home care service registered in the Register of Social Entities, Services and Establishments (RESES):

  • The service will be provided only in the habitual place of residence stated in the application.
  • The benefit may be granted for a MAXIMUM of 186 hours/year, to be earned during the year 2024 until 5 December, for a MAXIMUM amount of €18/hour and a MINIMUM of €1.8/hour.
  • The amount of the price/hour will be determined according to the level of disposable income of the applicant and the number of hours requested, in accordance with the following formula:
  • Price/day (euros) = ( (€32,696.72 – Annual income) / €1816.484 ) + 1.8

Examples (applicant with no dependants):   

Annual income = 3,269 euros o menys     Price/day = 18 euros (maximum)
Annual income = 5,000 euros     Price/day = 17.05 euros
Annual income = 10,000 euros     Price/day = 14.29 euros
Annual income = 20,000 euros     Price/day = 8.79 euros
Annual income = 25,000 euros     Price/day = 6.04 euros
Annual income = 30,000 euros     Price/day = 3.28 euros
Annual income = 32,696euros     Price/day = 1.80 euros
Annual income = 33,000 euros     Price/day = 0 euros

For more information: 

Perform simulation

Barcelona City Council

Procedures

SUPPORT CENTRES AND HOURS FOR IN-PERSON AND TELEPHONE ASSISTANCE:
1) IMSS OFFICE FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS: C/ Aragó, 34.
To book an appointment for in-person assistance at the Office for Social and Economic Benefits, please call 010 during office hours, 7 am to 11 pm every day.
2) INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE CENTRE FOR CARERS, ‘BARCELONA CUIDA’: c/ Viladomat 127.
In-person or by calling ‘Barcelona Cuida’ on 93 413 21 21, Monday to Thursday from 8.15 am to 8 pm, Fridays from 8.15 am to 7.30 pm, and Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm.