The drop in the number of people requesting the aid detected by the Conselleria is consolidated.
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More than 2,700 families
The Conselleria establishes a series of measures to improve the management of this benefit
A total of 2,753 families in the Balearic Islands received the guaranteed social income in December (RESOGA) compared to the 3,387 who received it in January 2023. This downward trend had its turning point between June and July when there was a drop of about 16%. This unusual reduction triggered the request for an audit, in the words of the Councilor of Families and Social Affairs, Catalina Cirer “to know how the management of this benefit was developed and that it reaches all the people who need it”.
While awaiting the results of the audit, which, “given its complexity, may take several months,” said Cirer, “some points have been detected to improve the management of this benefit”. As the councillor explained, article 32 of the Law stipulates that the RESOGA files must be reviewed annually to validate that the requirements that motivated the granting of this benefit are maintained. These reviews, according to the Councilor, “We do not understand why these were not being carried out”. In addition, she specified that “it is the responsibility of the Administration to scrupulously manage public resources, especially those that are intended to alleviate the basic vital needs of people”.
In this same sense, she referred to the development of an application that allows the crossing of data with the General Treasury of Social Security and that already began to be applied at the end of June. “This cross-referencing of information between administrations allows us to detect which people are registered with Social Security, that is, with an employment contract that disqualifies them as recipients of this benefit,” said the councillor. Thus, Cirer announced that it has been detected that 20% of people were irregularly receiving the benefit, a fact that generates a “serious distortion for the Administration, distorts the meaning of the benefit and causes damage to other potential beneficiaries”.
To correct this situation, the Councilor for Families and Social Affairs has announced several measures, including:
Restructuring the benefits department so that there is a team dedicated to developing the relevant file reviews to avoid undue payments.
Systematically cross-checking recipients’ data with the Social Security General Treasury.
Reactivate the Technical Commission of the guaranteed social income contemplated by the Law (art. 37).
Continue working with the auditing services and follow their instructions in the event of situations that may arise from the review of the files.
Guaranteed social income
It must be remembered that the RESOGA is a benefit aimed at alleviating situations of social vulnerability arising from the lack of economic resources of individuals, families or other cohabitation nuclei. RESOGA began in 2016 and is currently regulated by Law 4/2023, of February 27, on social benefits of an economic nature of the Balearic Islands. This regulation contemplates that all persons with the following requirements can benefit from this aid, which does not have a time limitation:
a) Persons of at least 23 years of age and under 65 years of age, alone or members of a cohabitation unit.
b) Persons over 65 years of age who do not meet the requirements to be beneficiaries of any contributory or non-contributory pension, alone or as members of a cohabitation unit.
c) Persons between 18 and 22 years of age who have minors or persons with disabilities in their care, women victims of gender violence or victims of trafficking.
d) Persons between 18 and 22 years old who have been subjected to administrative measures of guardianship or guardianship of the system of protection of minors of public administrations of the Balearic Islands and who are recipients of the minimum living income.