The Government of Spain tripled the maximum advance of the Food Payment Guarantee Fund (FGPA), increasing it from 100 to 300 euros per month per beneficiary, following the approval of Royal Decree Law 31/2026 during the Council of Ministers on October 20, published in the Official State Gazette this Wednesday.
The fund, established in 2007 with an initial allocation of ten million euros, had not updated its limits in nearly two decades.
The reform also introduces a structural change in the coverage period: the 18-month limit that has been in place until now is eliminated, allowing for the advance payment to be maintained as long as the child support obligation remains in effect and unpaid, until the minor turns 18 years old or the obligation is extinguished for another legal reason.
The ongoing cases will be reviewed ex officio, and the new maximum amount will take effect starting November 1, 2026, without beneficiaries needing to submit a new application, according to the guideline document.
The income threshold for the household unit is also updated and linked to the minimum wage: 1.75 times that wage with one dependent child, two times with two children, and 2.25 times with three, increasing progressively.
The Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz, presented the measure as part of a package of social reforms aimed at "strengthening the protection of families."
The mechanism does not cancel the debt of the non-compliant parent: the State advances the amounts to the custodial parent and can later claim them from the debtor.
The fund covers situations arising from divorces, separations, annulments, and processes of parentage or support, where there is a Spanish judicial ruling that establishes the alimony and the non-payment is verified.
The reform is directly relevant to Cuban families residing in Spain. According to data from the National Institute of Statistics cited in October 2026, between 252,000 and 287,000 Cubans are registered in Spain, making the Cuban community the ninth largest foreign community in the country, with Madrid, Catalonia, and the Canary Islands as the primary centers of concentration.
Cuban minors —nationals of a non-EU State— would be included under the scope of the fund, provided they meet the legal requirements, among them proof of legal residency in Spain during the two years immediately preceding the application and that the family income does not exceed the established limits.
The rule also shortens the residency period required for certain non-EU foreign minors and includes some cohabiting minors whose parentage regarding the other parent is not determined.
As it is a royal decree-law, the Permanent Deputation of Congress must ratify it within a maximum period of 30 days from its publication in the Official State Gazette.
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