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Applying for the care allowance for children with a disability, chronic illness or oncological disease

This allowance is a cash benefit paid to people who are absent from work because they are on leave to care for children with a disability, a chronic illness or cancer.

Social Security benefits cover biological children, adopted children, and the children of a spouse or of a partner with whom the person is in a civil partnership. Foster families are also entitled to this allowance.

Service channels

Find out where you can do the service and what the advantages of each channel

  • Request now

    No rows

    Free

    Within six months of the first day of work

  • At the Social Security service counters or at the Citizen Store Desk

    Free

    Within six months of the first day of work

    Search for a point of service near you:

Who can applying for the care allowance for children with a disability, chronic illness or oncological disease?

The allowance can be applied for by people in the following situations:

  • Employees who pay Social Security contributions, including domestic workers and home-based workers
  • Self-employed workers (issuing ‘green receipts’ or as sole proprietors) who pay Social Security contributions
  • Seafarers and national watchkeepers on board ships owned by foreign companies
  • Scientific research fellows
  • Pre-retirement workers with reduced working hours
  • Recipients of a relative invalidity pension, old age pension or survivor’s pension who work and pay Social Security contributions
  • Professional sports practitioners
  • Bank workers

Foster families are also entitled to the care allowance for children with a disability, chronic illness or oncological disease, under the same conditions as parents (biological, adoptive or those of a spouse or partner) who take time off work to care for their children.

When can you applying for the care allowance for children with a disability, chronic illness or oncological disease?

  • Within six months from the first day they stopped working to aid the child.
  • If you submit the request after this period, but still during the period in which you are entitled to receive the allowance, the days of delay won’t be paid.

 

What are the documents and requirements to applying for the care allowance for children with a disability, chronic illness or oncological disease?

To be eligible for the allowance, you must meet all the following conditions:

  • In the case of a person who takes time off work to look after their child:
    • Submit a medical certificate proving the need for assistance. Only one person in the household can receive this allowance
    • Apply for the allowance within six months of the date on which the leave began
    • Have made contributions for at least six months (whether consecutive or not) to Social Security or another social protection scheme (qualifying period)
    • If the person is self-employed or covered by the voluntary social insurance scheme, their Social Security payments must be up to date on the day on which their entitlement to the allowance is recognised
  • In the case of the child:
    • Have a disability, chronic illness or oncological disease certified by a doctor
    • Belong to the household of the person who takes time off work to accompany them and live with that person

To apply for the allowance, you will need to download, complete and attach the following documents:

To apply for the allowance online, you will need to sign in using one of the following means of authentication:

  • Digital Mobile Key (CMD)
  • Citizen Card
  • Login details for the Social Security website: Social Security identification number (NISS) and password

If you do not yet have a Digital Mobile Key, find out how to activate one.

If you want to use your Citizen Card, find out how to log in using this method.

Payment of the allowance is preferably made to the IBAN (International Bank Account Number) registered with Social Security. The account holder must be the person who made the application for the allowance or the person who is entitled to the allowance.

To find out how to register or update the IBAN online, see section D3 of the Practical Guide to the allowance for caring for children with a disability, chronic illness or oncological disease. To register or update the IBAN at a service desk or by post, download and complete the IBAN registration or change form (MG 14).

To be eligible for the allowance, you must meet all the following conditions:

  • In the case of a person who takes time off work to look after their child:
    • Submit a medical certificate proving the need for assistance. Only one person in the household can receive this allowance
    • Apply for the allowance within six months of the date on which the leave began
    • Have made contributions for at least six months (whether consecutive or not) to Social Security or another social protection scheme (qualifying period)
    • If the person is self-employed or covered by the voluntary social insurance scheme, their Social Security payments must be up to date on the day on which their entitlement to the allowance is recognised
  • In the case of the child:
    • Have a disability, chronic illness or oncological disease certified by a doctor
    • Belong to the household of the person who takes time off work to accompany them and live with that person

To apply for the allowance, you will need to download, complete and attach the following documents:

Payment of the allowance is preferably made to the IBAN (International Bank Account Number) registered with Social Security. The account holder must be the person who made the application for the allowance or the person who is entitled to the allowance.

To find out how to register or update the IBAN online, see section D3 of the Practical Guide to the allowance for caring for children with a disability, chronic illness or oncological disease. To register or update the IBAN at a service desk or by post, download and complete the IBAN registration or change form (MG 14).

To be eligible for the allowance, you must meet all the following conditions:

  • In the case of a person who takes time off work to look after their child:
    • Submit a medical certificate proving the need for assistance. Only one person in the household can receive this allowance
    • Apply for the allowance within six months of the date on which the leave began
    • Have made contributions for at least six months (whether consecutive or not) to Social Security or another social protection scheme (qualifying period)
    • If the person is self-employed or covered by the voluntary social insurance scheme, their Social Security payments must be up to date on the day on which their entitlement to the allowance is recognised
  • In the case of the child:
    • Have a disability, chronic illness or oncological disease certified by a doctor
    • Belong to the household of the person who takes time off work to accompany them and live with that person

To apply for the allowance, you will need to download, complete and attach the following documents:

Payment of the allowance is preferably made to the IBAN (International Bank Account Number) registered with Social Security. The account holder must be the person who made the application for the allowance or the person who is entitled to the allowance.

To find out how to register or update the IBAN online, see section D3 of the Practical Guide to the allowance for caring for children with a disability, chronic illness or oncological disease. To register or update the IBAN at a service desk or by post, download and complete the IBAN registration or change form (MG 14).

What is the support legislation?

Decree-Law No 91/2009 of 9 April – Establishes the legal framework for social protection in relation to parenthood within the Social Security system and the solidarity subsystem

Ministerial Implementing Order No 6-B/2025/1 of 6 January – Updates the annual value of the Social Support Index (IAS) for 2025

Law No 24-D/2022 of 30 December – State Budget for 2023

Law No 7/2016 of 17 March- Establishing a specific increase in the amount of social protection allowances for maternity, paternity and adoption payable to residents of the autonomous regions

Decree-Law No 91/2009 of 9 April, as amended by Decree-Law No 70/2010 of 16 June, Decree-Law No 133/2012 of 27 June, Law No 120/2015 of 1 September, Decree-Law No 53/2018 of 2 July and Law No 90/2019 of 4 September – Establishes the legal framework for social protection in parenthood.

Ministerial Implementing Order No 458/2009 of 30 April – Approves the new application forms.

Law No 53-B/2006 of 29 December – Establishing the Social Support Index (IAS), regulating its adjustment as well as the adjustment of pensions and other social benefits under the Social Security system

Useful informations

The allowance for caring for children with a disability, chronic illness or cancer can be combined with:

  • Solidarity supplement for the elderly
  • Compensation and pensions due to occupational illness or accidents at work
  • Old-age pension, relative invalidity pension or survivor’s pension, provided the person is working and has recorded earnings with Social Security
  • Pre-retirement benefits, provided the person works under one of the schemes of the social security system
  • Income support supplement

It cannot be combined with:

  • Other benefits under the solidarity subsystem, except the income support supplement and the solidarity supplement for the elderly
  • Employment income
  • Unemployment benefit
  • Sickness benefit
  • Cessation of activity allowance for members of the statutory bodies of legal persons (MOES)
  • Cessation of activity allowance for economically dependent self-employed persons or self-employed persons with a business activity
  • Initial or subsequent unemployment assistance

Amount to be received

The daily amount of the allowance for caring for a child with a disability, a chronic illness or cancer is 100% of the reference earnings in the case of caring for a child with cancer, or 80% of the reference earnings in the case of caring for a child with a disability or a chronic illness.

The reference earnings are the average amount of the wages on which the individual has paid Social Security contributions, and which serve as the basis for calculating the amount of benefits, allowances or pensions.

To find out more about the amount of the allowance that will be paid and for how long,see the Practical Guide to the allowance for caring for children with a disability, chronic illness or oncological disease.