# Spain expands widow's pension for cohabiting parents 20 October 2026 at 09:21 > The Spanish government will approve a decree-law removing the marriage requirement for cohabiting couples with children to access pensions. The **Spanish Council of Ministers** is set to approve a decree-law expanding widow's pension eligibility for cohabiting couples with children. Under the new rules, these partners no longer require marriage or formal registration as a domestic partnership to qualify. To access benefits, couples must prove two years of uninterrupted cohabitation via a census certificate. This reform modifies Article 221 of the **General Social Security Law**, creating a one-year window for beneficiaries of past deaths to apply for the pension. The measure aims to equate cohabiting parents with married couples. While registered partnerships without children still require five years of cohabitation, the decree also allows those divorced before 2008 to supplement pensions with other public benefits. **Spain** [#SpainNews]() [#SocialSecurity]() #WidowsPension #FamilyRights #LegalReform ## Related news ## [Social Security official marks 30-year career]() 21 October 2026 at 19:18 ## [Spain prepares for general elections in November]() 21 October 2026 at 11:45 ## [Spain's pension spending to hit €200bn by 2026]() 18 October 2026 at 18:48 ## [Spain mandates 400 prefix for commercial calls]() 16 October 2026 at 10:23 ## [Magnitude 4.2 earthquake hits Benuza in Leon]() 16 October 2026 at 09:29