Alicante Doubles Aid for Babies and Youth Rent: Changes in the Budget

The Alicante City Council unveiled the main outlines of the 2026 Municipal Budget on Wednesday, highlighting an increase in social policies aimed at young people and families, with more financial allocation for aid.

Next year's municipal accounts will double the birth aid - the Alicante baby cheque - which will rise from 100,000 to 200,000 euros; and the youth rent aid, which will increase from 120,000 to 240,000 euros. This measure has been driven by the low number of beneficiaries recorded in the previous call.

The increase in these budget items comes after the Alicante City Council announced a relaxation of the conditions for the Youth Rent Voucher.

In the first call, only eleven out of 136 applicants received the subsidy, meaning that more than 90% of young applicants - a total of 125 people - were excluded "for failing to meet the criteria," according to government spokesperson Cristina Cutanda.

This voucher, aimed at young people aged 18 to 35, offers aid of up to 250 euros per month, with a maximum of 3,000 euros per year. To receive the subsidy, applicants must prove the payment of rent for their main residence during the months stipulated in the next call's criteria. Beneficiaries will receive the amount corresponding to the justified monthly payments.

With the budget increase and the announced relaxation of requirements, the City Council hopes that more young people will be able to access the financial support aimed at facilitating their emancipation.

Alicante's 2026 Budget also includes a 5.15% increase in public transport subsidies, which will rise from 20.9 million to 21.9 million euros. This reinforcement aims to sustain growing demand and maintain affordable fares for regular users.