The new SAD regulation, resulting from a citizen participation process, defines the rights and duties of users and their care networks, as well as the obligations of the City Council and the service-providing entities. This legislation aims to establish a normative framework that regulates, guarantees, and strengthens legal certainty for all involved.
The Councilor for Health, People with Disabilities, and Strategy against Loneliness, Marta Villanueva, emphasized that Barcelona "is a leading city in social and economic innovation." With this regulation, the goal is to position care as a central axis of collective well-being, moving towards a model of collective co-responsibility rather than relying solely on private responsibility.
The regulation incorporates a gender perspective, recognizing the feminization of the care labor sector and the responsibility of public administrations to promote the democratization of care work. Special attention has been paid to the care sector, often marked by precarious working conditions.
The regulation comprises 50 articles divided into 8 chapters covering principles, objectives, benefits, and access criteria. It also includes a sanctioning regime for minor, serious, or very serious infringements, which may lead to the suspension or termination of the service, as well as financial penalties for service providers.
The Home Help Service (SAD), managed by the Municipal Institute of Social Services (IMSS), assisted 19,598 people in 2025, providing over 3.5 million hours of service. The newly tendered contract, with a budget of 452.8 million euros, includes improvements such as new professional profiles and a 41.55% pay increase for staff, to be implemented progressively until 2031.
