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Dependencia Spain: Applying for a care level (Pflegegrad) in Mallorca

Responsible for this content: Frank Menze

Anyone living in Mallorca who becomes in need of care, or who has a relative in need of care, will sooner or later come across the term dependencia spanien – the Spanish counterpart to the German Pflegegrad (care level). Legally, the two systems have nothing to do with each other: a German Pflegegrad is not automatically recognised in Spain, and anyone wanting benefits here has to go through their own procedure under the Ley de Dependencia (Ley 39/2006). This guide explains who is actually eligible, why newly arrived German residents in particular fail on a single requirement, how the three care levels are defined, how the application process works at the municipality of residence, and what happens to a recognised level if you later move between Mallorca and the mainland. By the end, you'll know where the limits of the public system lie and where private provision needs to begin.

Dependencia Spain: applying for a care level on Mallorca

Not sure whether you already meet the five-year requirement or how to prepare the application?

Two separate systems: the German Pflegegrad and the Spanish dependencia

This is the clarification that belongs at the start of any research: the German Pflegegrad (1 to 5) and the Spanish situación de dependencia (Grado I to III) are two independent, legally separate systems. There is no automatic conversion and no mutual recognition. A Pflegegrad 3 determined in Germany does not count as proof of any level in Spain – anyone in Mallorca wanting to receive public benefits under the Ley de Dependencia must go through the entire Spanish procedure from scratch.

Whether, and in what form, a German long-term care insurance benefit continues to be paid while resident in Mallorca is a question that only your German Pflegekasse (care insurance fund) can answer. This guide deliberately covers only the Spanish side; if you want to look into the German side in more depth, you'll find that in the guide on Care insurance in Spain.

The basis is the Ley 39/2006, de 14 de diciembre, de Promoción de la Autonomía Personal y Atención a las personas en situación de dependencia, consolidated in the Boletín Oficial del Estado. The law defines who is considered in need of care, divides the need for care into three levels, and specifies which services and monetary benefits follow from them. It is implemented on a decentralised basis by the Autonomous Communities – in Mallorca, that is the Comunitat Autònoma de les Illes Balears.

Feature Detail
Law Ley 39/2006, de 14 de diciembre
Source Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE)
Consolidated status last update published on 22.10.2025
Responsible for Mallorca Comunitat Autònoma de les Illes Balears
Scope of application of the decision entire Spanish national territory (Art. 28.2)

Who is entitled: the five-year hurdle for newcomers

Article 5.1 of the law sets out the requirements for persons who can derive rights from the law. The crucial point for German residents is found in letter c): only those who live in Spain are entitled, and this must have been for five years, two of which must immediately precede the date of application.

Requirement (Art. 5.1) Content
Basic requirement (a) Recognised care dependency at one of the three statutory levels
Children under 3 years old Special rule under the thirteenth additional provision of the law
Duration of residence (c) 5 years of residence in Spain, 2 of which immediately before the application
Children under 5 years old The duration of residence is assessed for the person exercising care and custody

Attention: This five-year clock does not start with your move date "on paper", but with a demonstrable, uninterrupted legal residence – documented via Empadronamiento and Residencia. Anyone who has only recently been living on Mallorca does not meet the requirement – regardless of their state of health.

For persons without Spanish nationality, Art. 5.2 refers to Ley Orgánica 4/2000 on the rights and freedoms of foreigners in Spain, as well as to international treaties and agreements with the respective country of origin. As an EU citizen with legal, duly registered residence, you fall under this framework – but the practical hurdle remains the same five-year period.

The three levels of care dependency under Article 26

The law recognises three levels of care dependency, defined in Article 26.1:

Level Designation Definition
Grado I moderate dependency At least once a day help with several basic activities of daily living, or an occasional or limited need for support with personal autonomy
Grado II severe dependency Two to three times a day help with several basic activities of daily living, but without requiring the permanent presence of a carer, or an extensive need for support
Grado III major dependency Help several times a day; due to a complete loss of physical, mental, intellectual or sensory autonomy, the indispensable and constant support of another person is required, or a comprehensive need for support

Which level specifically applies results from the baremo, the legally established assessment scale under Art. 27. The precise point values and ranges are set out in the associated regulation, not in the law itself – that's what the assessment by the competent specialist body of the Balearic Government is for, not a self-assessment at home.

The application process: from social services to the official decision

According to Article 28, the process runs through several legally clearly defined steps:

  1. Submit an application (Art. 28.1): The process begins upon application by the potentially affected person or their representative – in practice at the social services (Servicios Sociales) of your municipality of residence in Mallorca.
  2. Assessment: A professional evaluation based on the statutory baremo leads to classification as Grado I, II or III.
  3. Official decision (Art. 28.2): Recognition is granted by decision of the Autonomous Community in which the applicant resides – for Mallorca, therefore, by the competent body of the Comunitat Autònoma de les Illes Balears. This decision is valid throughout the entire Spanish territory.
  4. Determination of benefits (Art. 28.3): The decision determines which services or financial benefits correspond to the awarded level.
Article Core content
Art. 28.1 Process begins upon application by the affected person or their representative
Art. 28.2 Decision by the competent Autonomous Community, valid throughout the entire national territory
Art. 28.3 Decision determines services or benefits according to the level
Art. 28.4 If you change your place of residence, the new Autonomous Community decides on the specific benefits

Note: Which documents specifically need to be submitted is determined by the relevant body of the Balearic government and can change. Clarify the current list directly with the social services of your municipality or via a Gestoría, rather than relying on unverified lists from the internet. If additional medical evidence is required during the assessment, a GP near you can help, whom you can find via the Branchenverzeichnis Allgemeinmedizin.

What happens if you move? Recognition travels with you, benefits do not

A common misunderstanding: the Pflegegrad itself is not purely a Mallorca matter. According to Art. 28.2, once a decision has been recognised, it applies throughout the entire Spanish state territory – if you move from Mallorca to the mainland, you don't automatically lose your classification. What does change, however, is expressly regulated by Art. 28.4: in the event of a change of residence, the destination Comunidad determines, according to its own network of services and benefits, what a person is specifically entitled to. So the level travels with you, but the catalogue of benefits does not necessarily do so in identical form.

Spanish Pflegegrad and German long-term care insurance: two separate tracks

For German residents on Mallorca, the separation of the two systems is the most important point in this whole topic. The Ley de Dependencia has no special rule for former members of German long-term care insurance, and conversely, the German Pflegekasse has no automatic link to the Spanish classification. Both procedures run independently side by side:

  • The Spanish Pflegegrad arises exclusively through the procedure described here under the Ley de Dependencia.
  • Whether and how a German long-term care insurance benefit continues while resident in Spain is a question for the German Pflegekasse – clarify this directly with them before moving, not based on assumptions from forums.
  • For the Spanish healthcare entitlement as such (not care), the S1 form is often relevant for pensioners.

Private provision for the transitional period

Between moving here and fulfilling the five-year requirement – and afterwards for anything beyond the state benefit catalogue – private provision remains practically indispensable on Mallorca. Specific prices for home help, day care or private care homes can only be reliably clarified with an individual quote from the respective provider, as they vary depending on the scope of services and location on the island. Sensible building blocks for private cover:

Most common mistakes when applying for dependencia

Mistake Why the problem arises
Assumption that the German Pflegegrad automatically counts The systems are legally separate, there is no conversion
Application straight after moving The five-year period under Art. 5.1 is mandatory, regardless of health condition
Gaps in the empadronamiento Continuous proof of residence is the basis for calculating the deadline
Missing registration (NIE, residencia) The procedure requires a fully documented legal stay
Expecting fixed euro amounts Benefits depend on the level, income and the Autonomous Community and are not standardised
Confusion with German long-term care insurance The question of continued payment of German benefits is a matter for the German Pflegekasse, not the Ley de Dependencia

Checklist before applying

  • NIE number available and up to date (NIE number)
  • Residencia or TIE valid and continuously verifiable (Residencia)
  • Residence in Spain for at least five years provable (in practice via the empadronamiento)
  • Spanish social security number available (Apply for NUSS)
  • Contacted the social services of your own municipality
  • Relevant health documents readily available, in case the social services or the assessment team request them in a specific case
  • Power of attorney and living will arranged, in case the person can no longer decide for themselves

What happens next?

Once the decision is issued, it sets out which services or financial benefits correspond to the awarded level (Art. 28.3) – ranging from home support and day centres to a place in a care home or a designated financial benefit, for example for family carers. If the person later moves within Spain, the level is retained, while the new Autonomous Community decides on the specific scope of benefits (Art. 28.4). It's also worth looking at the private side in parallel: anyone who involves a tax advisor for expats or a gestoría early on avoids a mismatch between official deadlines and private financial planning.

Conclusion

The Ley de Dependencia gives German residents on Mallorca genuine, though conditional, access to the Spanish care system. The decisive hurdle is not the state of health, but the five-year residency requirement under Art. 5.1 – anyone who has just moved should plan for this from the outset and cover the transitional period privately. Once the requirement is met, the application goes through the social services of your own municipality, the classification into one of the three levels is carried out by the responsible body of the Balearic government, and it then applies throughout Spain. It remains important to keep a clear distinction from German long-term care insurance: both systems operate independently, and questions about the continued payment of German benefits are exclusively a matter for the German long-term care fund.

Official sources

Is my German care level (Pflegegrad) automatically recognised in Spain?
No. The German Pflegegrad and the Spanish situación de dependencia are two separate systems with no automatic conversion; you must go through the Spanish procedure separately.
How long do I need to have lived in Spain to be eligible?
According to Art. 5.1 Ley 39/2006, five years of residence in Spain are required, two of which must be immediately before submitting the application.
Where do I submit the application on Mallorca?
The application is processed through the social services of your municipality of residence; the actual assessment is then carried out by the relevant authority of the Comunitat Autònoma de les Illes Balears.
Does a care level recognised on Mallorca also apply on the mainland?
Yes, according to Art. 28.2 the decision applies throughout the whole of Spain, although the specific benefits may differ after a move.
What happens to my classification if I move?
The level remains valid, but under Art. 28.4 the new Autonomous Community determines which services and benefits are granted in line with its own provision.
As an EU citizen without Spanish nationality, do I also have access?
Yes, via Art. 5.2, which refers to the Ley Orgánica 4/2000 as well as international agreements with the country of origin, rather than the direct rule for Spanish nationals.
Will my German care allowance simply continue after the move?
That is a question for your German long-term care insurance provider and part of the German, not the Spanish, system – clarify this directly with them before you move.
How many care levels does the Spanish system recognise?
Three: Grado I (dependencia moderada), Grado II (dependencia severa) and Grado III (gran dependencia), as defined in Art. 26.1 Ley 39/2006.