Overview
- The Social Rights Ministry, which released its first-quarter SAAD panel Friday, reported 1,655,446 people receiving benefits and said 57% of support now reaches people at home or in their community.
- Europa Press calculations based on the new data put the total waiting list at 271,556 people, down 2.5% from a year earlier and counting both those under and over the six‑month legal limit.
- The average time from application to a granted benefit is 329 days, an improvement from prior reports, and officials said the slowest step is the initial assessment that assigns a dependency grade.
- Regional gaps remain stark, with Castilla y León logging the biggest drop in its list and the fastest processing at 116 days, while Murcia averages 553 days and Andalucía 464, far beyond the 180‑day legal cap.
- Care is shifting toward everyday supports people can use at home, with cash for family care at 31% of all benefits and strong growth in teleassistance at 27% and home help at 17%, reflecting a move to combine services.