Spain's cabinet to approve 3-3.5 billion euro basic income scheme next week

The Spanish cabinet is due to approve next week a program to grant a basic income to the poorest to help them weather the economic fallout from the coronavirus epidemic, Social Security Minister Jose Luis Escriva said on Monday.

The minister said in an interview with RNE radio station the cabinet would approve the program, probably during the weekly cabinet meeting scheduled on May 26.

He said as many as 1 million families would receive the new benefit, which would cost the government between 3 billion euros and 3.5 billion euros per year.