Carme, a pseudonym used to protect her identity, started the process with the State Public Employment Service (SEPE) online. Although she submitted her application on September 10, a lack of clear information regarding mandatory income declarations stalled her payments.
The situation was worsened by the total lack of available appointments in offices across Berga, Sabadell, and Barcelona. The woman described a desperate routine of waking up at dawn to check the online system, only to find no slots available for weeks.
“"The SEPE system tells you these details cannot be processed by phone, and when you go to the website to request a call, they say there are no hours available."
The issue was finally resolved in February after she sought legal advice and paid a local call center to secure an appointment. She highlights the 'bureaucratic web' that forces vulnerable citizens to exhaust their savings while waiting for state aid.
