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OrientUP — Campo de Cartagena

Apply for the Minimum Living Income (IMV)

Check eligibility, documents and steps to apply for IMV and the child support supplement. Go directly to the official portal and track your application.

What IMV is and who manages it

Minimum Living Income is a monthly, non-contributory Social Security benefit for people living alone or in a household unit whose resources fall below the level set by law. In Murcia, the National Social Security Institute (INSS) processes it. This guide summarises the general rules checked on 9 October 2026; the decision depends on your individual assessment.

  • It can top up earnings or other benefits within its rules and limits. You do not have to be unemployed.
  • IMV is different from SEPE benefits and municipal aid. The simulator does not replace the INSS decision.

Age and residence: general rules and exceptions

Requirements must be met when applying, when the decision is made and while receiving the benefit. Do not rule yourself out based on a general rule alone: some circumstances have exceptions that must be documented.

  • Legal and actual residence in Spain for at least the immediately preceding year. Exceptions to this period cover certain children joining the household, victims of trafficking or sexual exploitation and women who have experienced gender-based violence.
  • The general minimum age of the main recipient is 23. Some adults or legally emancipated minors can qualify, for example with dependent children. Specific rules cover victims, young people leaving child protection, people who have lost both parents and people released from prison.
  • For individual applications, people aged 23 to 29 generally need two years of independent living and at least twelve months registered with Social Security or an eligible equivalent scheme during that period. For people over 30, the general rule requires a separate address from parents, guardians or foster carers during the previous year. Check exceptions and the rule for your age with INSS.

Who belongs to the household unit

As a general rule, it includes people living at the same address who are married, recognised partners or relatives up to the second degree, as well as the adoption, guardianship and foster care cases covered by law. Sharing a flat does not automatically make everyone one household unit.

  • The household unit normally needs to have existed for at least six months, with exceptions such as the birth or arrival of children and certain situations involving violence or trafficking.
  • If you share with unrelated people, have no stable address, have separated or your situation differs from municipal records, ask INSS or social services what evidence is needed. Do not leave household members out to try to meet the rules.

Income, assets and benefit amount

The resources of the whole household unit are assessed. Generally, the previous year’s countable income is used: its monthly average must be at least €10 below the applicable guaranteed income. Assets are also checked, with the main home excluded under the legal rules.

  • 2026 reference: guaranteed income for a single adult is €733.60 per month. This is not a fixed payment for everyone: IMV is calculated as the difference after countable income. Other households and certain supplements have different amounts; check the official table.
  • For one person, the 2026 net asset limit is €26,409.60, excluding the main home: reaching or exceeding it fails this requirement. There is also a separate asset limit and different scales for larger households.
  • Access can also be excluded if a household member is a legally appointed director of a trading company that is still active. Low income alone does not establish eligibility.
  • If your income has fallen this year, ask about the route for economic hardship arising during the current year, available from 1 April to 31 December with additional conditions and later reassessment. Do not assume only your last month counts.

Child support supplement (CAPI)

Households with children may qualify for the child support supplement even without receiving IMV. The same application is used; INSS assesses whether IMV with the supplement or only the supplement is due.

  • CAPI has its own thresholds: income below 300% of the applicable threshold and net assets below 150% of the relevant limit, plus the separate asset limit and other requirements. Having children alone does not establish entitlement.
  • The amount depends on the child’s age on 1 January. Check the current age bands and incompatibilities in the official information before estimating your possible benefit.

Documents to prepare

The official form adapts the required documents to each situation. Prepare legible copies and provide what it asks for; the administration can check information it already holds.

  • Identity documents for household members and proof of legal residence where applicable.
  • Municipal registration and, if required, a historical and collective registration certificate; family book or Civil Registry certificates and relevant custody, separation, foster care or other documents.
  • The IBAN of an account held by the main recipient and information about household members’ income, assets and benefits.
  • Consent and signatures required by the form for adults or emancipated minors; proof of representation if someone acts for you. Special circumstances may require social services certificates.

How to apply online, step by step

Open the «Simulate, apply for and manage IMV» link at the end of this guide. On the official portal select «Simular y solicitar» and enter your actual province of residence; for Campo de Cartagena, Murcia.

  • Answer the questionnaire accurately. The simulation is indicative and you can continue with an application whatever the result.
  • This route allows applications without a digital certificate. Prepare an email address you control, a photograph of yourself and images of your DNI or NIE for identity verification, following the portal’s instructions. Enter these details only on the official website, never in OrientUP.
  • Complete the form, attach documents and check household members, income, bank details and consent before submitting. Use the service’s own buttons to move forwards and backwards.
  • Complete submission and save the receipt and code provided by the portal. A simulation or a saved draft is not a submitted application.

After submission: tracking, deadlines and decision

On the same portal, use «Accede al borrador de la solicitud» (access your draft) or «Gestiona la solicitud presentada» (manage your submitted application), as appropriate. Keep your access code and respond to document requests within the deadline in each notice.

  • As a general rule, INSS has six months from the application reaching its register to decide and notify you, subject to lawful suspensions. Without notification within that period, administrative silence means rejection, not automatic approval.
  • If entitlement is recognised, financial effects normally start on the first day of the month after the application. Actual payment depends on the decision and processing; no payment date is promised.
  • If rejected, check the reason and the appeal instructions and deadlines in the notice. Seek INSS guidance or advice before the deadline expires. If you already applied, use application tracking to provide documents.

If approved: changes, work and tax returns

IMV continues while its requirements and obligations are met. Starting work does not always mean losing it: compatibility is subject to limits and an employment incentive. Check the dedicated simulator on the portal and report the change.

  • Report changes affecting entitlement, address, municipal registration or household membership within 30 calendar days. The portal offers «Comunica variaciones en tu IMV» (report changes to your IMV).
  • The main recipient and members of the household unit must file an annual personal income tax return (IRPF). Ask the Tax Agency how to include children and how to file.
  • Before travelling abroad, check residence and reporting duties. Follow information requests and annual reviews: these can change the amount or require repayment of money received without entitlement.

Help with your application

The official portal lists 020 for IMV information and provides Easy Read content. If you need in-person or digital assistance, check INSS options and ask your municipality’s social services for guidance.

  • The Ministry information linked below also includes the digital certificate or Cl@ve route and applications through an authorised representative. Do not share passwords to get help.
  • On a shared computer, sign out and remove downloaded documents. Keep the receipt and code securely. OrientUP does not collect your application or personal documents.

My preparation checklist

Your data stays in this browser. No account is needed. On a shared device, keep your copy and delete your data when finished. Do not include identity documents or other people's private information.

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