The Guides to Social Policy Law is a collection of publications designed to assist decision makers administering social policy law. The information contained in this publication is intended only as a guide to relevant legislation/policy. The information is accurate as at the date listed at the bottom of the page, but may be subject to change. To discuss individual circumstances please contact Services Australia.

10.6.100 Spanish glossary

Introduction

This section contains a list of terms used in and applicable to the Agreement with Spain.

Benefit

Benefit, for Australia, means a pension, benefit or allowance payable under Australian social security legislation as specified in Article 2 of the Agreement. This includes Age and, in some cases, DSP, CP, DOP and PPS (see definitions below). It also includes any additional amount or increase that is payable to a person who qualifies for that increase, including pension supplement and RA for people in Australia. Any additional amounts are subject to the portability restrictions under the SSAct for people outside Australia.

Note: Although listed as Australian benefits covered in Article 2 of the Agreement, from 20 March 2020, WP, WidB and BVA ceased. Recipients of these payments were transferred to another payment, such as Age, where eligible.

Benefit, for Spain, means a pension, benefit or allowance payable under Spanish Social Welfare Acts as specified in Article 2 of the Agreement.

More information on contributory benefits under Spanish law is available from the Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs.

Carer payment

Under the Agreement, CP is restricted to a person who cares for a partner who is in receipt of Age or DSP (for the severely disabled) and both the carer and care recipient are residing in Spain. CP is not payable to a person who has never been an Australian resident.

Disability support pension

When the original Agreement was negotiated, DSP was known as 'invalid pension'. The original Agreement covered DSP for both the severely disabled and the non-severely disabled. New grants of DSP under the current agreement are limited to individuals who are severely disabled (non-severely disabled recipients granted under the original Agreement were grandfathered and remain eligible).

Double orphan pension

Under the Agreement with Spain, DOP is payable in respect of a young person whose sole surviving parent dies while the young person was an Australian resident.

Both the young person and the person claiming DOP must be residents of Spain. The latter does not need to have any former Australian residence.

Parenting payment (single)

Under the Agreement, PPS is limited to legal (de jure) widows and widowers.

Spain

Spain includes the Canary Islands (Islas Canarias - La Palma, Tenerife, Gomera, Hierro, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote), the Balearic Islands (Islas Baleares - Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca, Formentera and Cabrera), Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa and the adjoining territories (Islas Chafarinas, Isla Alboran, Penones de Velez de la Gomera and Alhucemas).

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