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Madrid Unveils Draft to Count 12-Week Pregnancies for Family Benefits

The plan would let expectant families tap public support before birth.

Overview

  • The regional government published a draft law that treats a fetus as a household member for benefits, with large-family status starting at 12 weeks of pregnancy.
  • Families could request an online certificate that equates them to a large family until three months after the expected due date, and each fetus in a multiple pregnancy would count.
  • The change would factor pregnancies into means-tested aid such as high school and early-childhood scholarships, school meals, and young renter support, and it would open early access to large-family perks for parents expecting a third child.
  • The fiscal note in the draft projects an annual impact of about €36.2 million, including €10.2 million in lower tax revenue, as benefits and deductions widen.
  • The text is out for public consultation before going to the Madrid Assembly, with officials presenting it as a pro-natal policy and noting Galicia’s narrower, existing rule limited to large families.