Overview
- The Observatorio Estatal de la Dependencia reported that as of Sept. 30, 2026 about 236,736 people were waiting and the national average time to resolve cases was 314 days, well above the 180‑day legal limit.
- Roughly 65% of the backlog is concentrated in four regions — Catalonia, Andalucía, the Valencian Community and the Canary Islands — while Cantabria, Madrid and Castilla‑La Mancha showed sharp year‑to‑date increases.
- The central government has pledged €6.2 billion for 2026–27 and transferred hundreds of millions to regions since July, but experts say those funds have not yet produced significant cuts in waits or rises in service intensity.
- Minister Pablo Bustinduy said the State can reduce transfers if a region lowers its own co‑funding, a response to experts' warnings that some regional governments could retain the extra money without boosting local care.
- The Observatorio criticizes persistent low‑intensity care and small cash benefits — about 39 home‑help hours per month, roughly €260 for family‑care allowances and €545 for service‑linked payments — which limit the real impact of higher budgets and increase pressure on families and the workforce.