He Council of Ministers on Tuesday, November 3 confirmed the changes in the benefit for care of minors affected by cancer or another serious illness (CUME) and now, this help is confirmed by the BOE (Official State Gazette) through the Royal Decree (RD) 957/2026. This document modifies the regulation of this economic benefit for caring for sick minors, an aid that depends on Social Security and is intended for parents who must reduce their working hours to be able to care for their children, such as the Government spokesperson, Elma Saiz, advanced in the month of June.
The update of the regulations includes interesting developments such as, for example, the possibility that father and mother can collect it at the same time, an expansion of recognized illnesses and more protection for care that is carried out outside the hospital. The aid is known as CUME and its purpose is to compensate for the loss of income caused by workers reducing their working time by at least 50% to be able to care for a minor with a serious illness.
To calculate the amount, Social Security will take as a reference 100% of the regulatory base corresponding to temporary disability (IT), applying the percentage of reduction in working hours. Thus, it is intended that these families are not left without that part of the money that corresponds to them for the hours in which they do not go to work.
This Thursday, November 5, it has been published in the BOE, where you can consult the changes for part-time workers, as well as those that affect families in which there is a separation or divorce and self-employed workers. The deadlines to request and renew aid, for their part, come into force on January 5, 2027.
Both parents can collect it at the same time
One of the main novelties of the CUME appears in article 8 of the BOE, which allows the benefit to be collected by both parents, either alternatively or simultaneously, as long as they meet the corresponding requirements. When both receive help at the same time to care for the same minor, each one will receive the equivalent of 50% of the regulatory base, regardless of the percentage reduction in working hours carried out, as long as they comply with all legal requirements.
If it suits them better, they may alternate the collection for periods that must exceed 15 days and, if there is separation or divorce, if there is cohabitation with the affected minor, the benefit will be received according to the established regime. Furthermore, it is not necessary for the minor to be admitted in order to access help. They include hospitalization at home, outpatient treatments or home care derived from complete or more specialized therapies.
This must be accredited with a medical statement stating that the minor continues to receive direct and permanent care and that, if they are not in the hospital, it is due to clinical or therapeutic criteria and not because they need less care. Therefore, the fact that the child is going to school is not a reason for the benefit to be suspended.
The exclusion that did not allow access to the benefit to certain part-time workers with hours equal to or less than 25% of that of a full-time worker is repealed.
Collect aid beyond 26 years of age
The RD also updates the list of serious illnesses that allow requesting the benefit, among which are ASD level 3 support or Poirier-Bienvenu neurodevelopment syndrome. They are added to others that were already contemplated, such as certain types of cancer, neurological diseases, serious heart diseases, cystic fibrosis, metabolic diseases and hematological disorders.
But you have to pay attention because the fact that one of these diseases has been diagnosed does not mean that help is automatically paid. It is necessary to prove that there is a need for permanent, direct and continuous support, and to meet the other requirements.
One of the most important changes is the one that affects the duration of the benefit, since, as a general rule, it can be maintained until the sick person turns 23 years old in the event that they have received the diagnosis before reaching the age of majority and the care needs continue. When a disability equal to or greater than 65% is proven before turning 23, the aid can be maintained until age 26. And what happens after that age? That it may continue to be collected exceptionally later when the sick person has a disability of at least 65% or Grade III dependency when they continue living with the beneficiary and continue to need care.
Requirements, deadlines and amounts to request the benefit
Workers who want to collect this aid will have to reduce their working hours by at least 50%, be registered with Social Security and comply with the required minimum contribution periods. The periods depend on the age of the applicant, and are reflected in the BOE:
- Those under 21 years of age should not have a minimum contribution period.
- From 21 to 25 years old, at least 90 days of contributions during the previous 7 years or 180 days throughout their working life.
- From 26 years of age, at least 180 days of contributions during the previous 7 years or 360 during working life.
The amount is 100% of the corresponding regulatory base, in proportion to the percentage reduction in working hours. With a monthly regulatory base of 2,000 euros, for example, and a 50% reduction in working hours, the aid would be 1,000 euros per month. The request must be directed to the managing entity or to the corresponding mutual collaborator with the Social Security and can be done in person or through the Electronic Office.
It is necessary to present the company certificate that certifies the reduction in working hours, the medical statement that justifies the need for care, family documentation and contribution data. Everything must be presented within three months from the start of the reduction in working hours. When presented later, the benefit has a maximum retroactivity of 3 months.
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The aid will be granted for four months, with the option of extension
The regulations extend the recognition periods, which were initially four months with an extension of six in the first place and renewals of eight as long as the requirements are met. When the first two years pass and then in periods of 24 months, there must be a binding report from the Medical Inspection of the Health Service proving that this care is still needed.