Social Security processed 5,239 birth and childcare benefits in Navarre between January and September. Of these, 2,429 corresponded to the first parent, usually the mother, and 2,810 to the second parent. The cost of this benefit in the first nine months of the year amounted to 45,184,038 euros.
Throughout the country, 351,507 cases of birth and child care benefits have been processed for a total amount of 2,697,269,895 euros.
These figures correspond to the number of files managed, not to the number of people receiving them, since the benefit can be enjoyed for weekly periods, and is counted each time one of them is started.
The childbirth and childcare benefit, which replaced the old maternity and paternity benefits, came into force on January 1, 2021 and entails the complete equalization of both. Currently, the leave is 16 weeks for both parents and is recognized as an individual and non-transferable right. Of the 16 weeks, six of them must be enjoyed immediately after childbirth or judicial or administrative resolution in cases of adoption, custody or placement. The rest of the time can be arranged in successive periods.
The amount of these benefits is equivalent to the base of contributions for common contingencies for the month immediately preceding the month prior to the beginning of the rest period for childbirth, adoption, custody or fostering, and is paid directly by the National Social Security Institute (INSS) during the weeks of the leave.
The average duration of active childcare and birth benefits between January and September has been 110 days for women and 103 days for men.
The National Social Security Institute offers the possibility to apply for the birth benefit telematically, through the portal https://prestaciones.seg-social.es/. Successive rest periods may also be requested electronically for the birth or care of the child, if the parents choose to divide the period.
Child care leave, foster child or family member
On the other hand, the number of surpluses registered between January and September is 1,840, of which 1,533 corresponded to women and the rest, 307, to men. The number of surpluses has increased by 5.38 percent over the same period last year. In the country as a whole, there were 42,808 surpluses discharged.
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.