- 86,465 Madrilenian mothers and fathers enjoyed the birth and care allowance last year, of which 1,443 were single parents
- Since July, families have enjoyed a 19-week extension of the birth permit, which amounts to 32 in the case of single parents.
- Last year, the expenditure on these benefits was 757,966,644.79 million euros
- The number of family care leave amounts to 10,852, of which 81.79% were women.
In 2025, Social Security processed a total of 86,465 benefits for birth and child care, an increase of 0.98% compared to the previous year. Of the group, 42,339 corresponded to the first parent, usually the mother, and 44,126 to the second parent, usually the father.
The cost of the birth and child care allowance between January and December reached almost 758 million euros. By autonomous communities, Madrid is the third community with the highest number of benefits for birth and child care (86,465) after Andalusia (97,224) and Catalonia (93,262).
The average duration of active childbirth and childcare benefits in 2025 was 110.93 days on average in Madrid, similar to the national average. The duration of the same is approaching between men and women, they are on average 113.11, while men 108.79. A fact that is close to co-responsibility, since the previous year the men enjoyed, on average, one week less.
As for the care benefits in single-parent families, the average duration in Madrid is extended to 130.06 days. The substantial difference is found in the processes, since, of these 1,443 benefits, 1,144 are women who extend the days up to 135.64, while the men with these benefits are 299 with an average of 108 days.
Extension of the birth permit
Last July, the protection for parents and minors and the right to family and work conciliation were improved, with the three-week extension of the birth permit and child care, which went from 16 to 19 weeks, and up to 32 weeks in the case of single-parent families.
In particular, 17 weeks, of equal duration and non-transferable between both parents, and 28, in the case of single-parent families, may be enjoyed during the first 12 months of the baby, or, in the case of adoption, foster care or foster care, in the first year, from the judicial or administrative decision; in weekly periods or cumulatively.
In addition, two additional weeks of childcare leave (four in single-parent families) are added, which can be enjoyed flexibly until the child reaches the age of 8.
This right can be applied for retroactively for births from August 2, 2024 and is already available from January 1, 2026. The application can be submitted with a maximum of 15 days in advance of the start date of the enjoyment period.
The amount of these benefits is equivalent to 100% of the base of contributions for common contingencies of the month immediately prior to the month prior to the start of the rest. The National Social Security Institute, in charge of the payment of the benefit, offers the possibility of requesting it through the portal. It is also possible to request the successive rest periods electronically if you choose to split the permit.
Leave of absence for child care, foster child or family member
On the other hand, the number of family care surpluses discharged in 2025 was 10,852 in Madrid, of which 8,876 corresponded to women, 81.79%, 1,976 to men, which is 18.2% above the national average in the case of the latter, which is 16.9%.
In this last year at the national level, there were 1,168 more surpluses, 2.2% higher, than in 2024. Madrid (10,852), Catalonia (7,859), Andalusia (6,423), the Basque Country (5,850) and the Valencian Community (5,953) are the autonomous communities with the most processed surpluses.
The number of family care surpluses does not increase compared to 2024.
Workers may apply for leave to care for children or minors who have been taken in or for the care of other family members. The first three years of leave to care for a foster child are considered an effective contributory period for the purposes of Social Security benefits for retirement, permanent disability, death and survival, maternity and paternity. The first year of leave to care for other family members is also considered to be actually paid for the purposes of these benefits.