Spain's care waiting list falls, but some face waits of 529 days

Almost 40,000 fewer people are waiting for long-term care support, although delays remain severe in Murcia and Andalucía

Spain’s long-term care waiting list has fallen to its lowest level on record, with almost 40,000 fewer people waiting for support than a year ago. But for people needing help, the time it takes to get a decision still varies sharply depending on where they live.

Figures released by the Ministry of Social Rights show that 134,734 people had been waiting more than six months for a benefit or service on September 30. That represents a 22.7% fall over the past year, while the average time taken to process an application has dropped by 48 days.

The national average is now 293 days, but some regions are still taking considerably longer. Murcia has the longest average processing time at 529 days, followed by Asturias at 413 days and Andalucía at 402 days. In contrast, the average is 75 days in Ceuta, 109 in Aragón and 120 in Castilla y León.

The figures cover the process from application to a decision on support. The Government’s official waiting list counts people who have been waiting more than six months for a benefit or service. Recent reforms have reduced the maximum timeframe for regional governments to complete the process to three months.

There are signs of progress across several regions. During the third quarter of 2026, Catalonia reduced its waiting list by 4,973 people, Asturias by 2,472 and Andalucía by 1,125. The numbers rose in the Basque Country, Castilla-La Mancha and Cantabria.

The Government says additional funding is helping to improve the system. More than €700 million in extra funding was transferred to regional governments between July and September. Monthly funding for the minimum level of care rose from €257.5 million in June to €516.2 million in September.

Social Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy urged regional governments to use the money to speed up progress, with the aim of eliminating the waiting list by 2028. He said the extra funding was already improving management, processing times and coverage, while acknowledging that better working conditions for care professionals remained a major challenge.

Meanwhile, the number of people actually receiving long-term care support has reached a record 1,748,901, an increase of 61% over five years.

The latest figures suggest the system is reaching more people and clearing its backlog, but the long processing times in Murcia and Andalucía show that many families are still facing lengthy waits for support.

Image: Age Cymru/Unsplash