One of the measures that President Zapatero has just announced this morning to reduce the deficit is delete the baby check as of January 1, 2011, the benefit of 2,500 euros per birth or adoption granted to all Spanish families or with legal residence in Spain.
It was a decision that was coming. Given the need to make such a beastly cut, it was assumed that the first thing that would end would be the help to the mothers of newborn babies. It was announced together with a group of “essential” cut-off measures, according to the government, to deal with the current economic situation.
Recall that the benefit was announced in early July 2007 as a way to promote birth in Spain, although many sounded more like an electoral maneuver than a really effective measure of increasing births. Skepticism was widespread, but money helped. Now not even that. Birth promotion does not seem to be a pressing problem at this time.
How long will there be a baby check?
At the moment it is still granted, but it has the days counted. The date of the end of the benefit is as of January 1, 2011.
2,500 euros per birth and adoption will continue to be granted to all babies born until the end of the year. That is, women who have become pregnant in March and the birth is scheduled for December 2010 will be the last to receive it.
The measure has lasted little. From the beginning until the end of the benefit, three years and seven months will have passed.
It is not known if in the future a birth aid will be granted again, if not, if the amount will be the same, less or greater. What we do know, for the moment, is that there are pregnant women waiting for the birth of their baby at the beginning of next year who will not charge the 2,500 euros of the baby check.
Personally, I think there are many other reforms that could be done before cutting the baby check, but it appeals to the “effort” we have to make together to close the shoulder. An effort that we always make the same.
We would like to know your opinion. What do you think about the government eliminating the benefit?
