The Generalitat has a maximum of six months, counted from the day after the application, to recognise a person’s level of dependency and decide on the service or allowance they are entitled to. When that deadline is missed, the Valencian ombudsman (Síndic de Greuges) treats it as a breach of the right to good administration and usually reminds the regional department that the decision must include any backdated effects. This guide explains how the procedure works, why it stalls and what you can do to move it forward.
The two stages: dependency level and care plan (PIA)
The Valencian procedure is governed by Decree 62/2017, which implements Spain’s national dependency law. It has two steps:
- Recognition of the dependency level (I, II or III). After the application, the person is assessed, usually at home, and a decision sets the level.
- Individual Care Programme (PIA). This decision sets out what you receive: a service (day centre, care home, home help, telecare) or an allowance (family care, service-linked or personal assistance).
The six months cover both stages. In practice, many families receive the level on time and then wait for the PIA, or receive only a partial PIA. In an August 2026 decision, the Síndic criticised the Department of Social Services, Family and Children for deciding on only one of the two benefits requested, almost two years after the application.
How to apply
- Through the Generalitat’s e-office, with a digital certificate or Cl@ve.
- Through your town hall’s social services, which also prepare the social report for the file.
- At any official registry, including the Generalitat’s PROP offices (book on 012).
Attach an up-to-date health report from the outset and state your preferred service or allowance on the form. A complete file avoids requests for further documents, the most common cause of lost months.
What to do if your file is stuck
- Ask for the status at municipal social services or your provincial regional office. Administrative law gives you the right to know the status of your file at any time.
- Reply quickly to any request. Submitting documents late delays the whole process.
- File a written request to move the case forward. Through the electronic or in-person registry, identify the file, the application date, state that more than six months have passed and ask for a decision. This leaves a formal record.
- Submit a complaint using the social services complaints form on the Generalitat’s e-office. The administration says it must reply within one month.
- Go to the Síndic de Greuges. With copies of your application and letters, the Síndic asks the department for a report, which it must provide within one month, and issues a public decision. We explain the process in our guide on how to complain when the Generalitat does not respond.
Court action (a judicial review claim) is also possible but requires professional advice. Many associations for older and disabled people offer free guidance.
Backdated payments: money you do not lose
A delay should not cost you money. Article 16 of Decree 62/2017 governs backdated effects of benefits, and the Síndic routinely asks for the PIA decision to include them in accordance with that article. When you receive the decision, check the date from which the benefit is recognised. If you disagree, you can appeal within the deadline stated at the bottom of the document.
If the situation worsens while you wait
You can request a review of the level due to deterioration when the person’s condition changes. If there is a social emergency, tell your municipal social worker: social services can activate emergency support while the file is being decided.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a dependency application take in the Valencian Community?
The legal deadline is six months from application to PIA decision. Complaints handled by the Síndic in 2026 show files that exceed it by a wide margin, especially at the PIA stage.
Which dependency levels give access to support?
All three levels (moderate, severe and high dependency) give access to the system; the type and intensity of services and allowances depend on the level and on your financial means.
Can a claim continue if the dependent person dies before the decision?
This is a sensitive situation that depends on the stage of the file. Ask the department for written information and seek specialist advice before treating the file as closed.
Is it worth going to the Síndic de Greuges?
Yes. Its decisions are not binding, but they force the department to explain itself in writing and state whether it accepts the recommendations, and they often speed up the individual file.