Next year’s municipal Budget includes the largest allocation to date for people with a recognised degree of dependency or situation of vulnerability. The Town Council is taking on the funding of important improvements to the service, with more hours of care and more technical aids than those set as mandatory

Estepona Town Council is taking a new qualitative leap in Home Help care, and the 2026 municipal Budget includes the largest allocation to this service to date. Specifically, close to 5 million euros are allocated, which will make it possible to reach record care for more than 800 users.

The home help service is a social benefit that guarantees dependent people can remain in their homes through comprehensive, specific care provided by qualified and supervised staff, who carry out a set of preventive, training, rehabilitation and care actions for people and households with difficulties remaining in or coping with their usual living environment. It is a benefit that is granted and funded by the Junta de Andalucía and managed by town councils, directly or indirectly, under the Dependency Law. However, with the aim of optimising the service and being able to cover as many people as possible, the Estepona Town Council has been making a significant additional co-financing contribution, increasing both the technical aid equipment available and the services, above the mandatory number established.

To this end, in 2026 a record figure of almost 5 million euros (4,957,025.84 euros) is reached, after this allocation has been increased year after year since 2011.

The councillor responsible for the Social Welfare area, María Aguilar, highlights the “importance of this service provided by the Town Council for all people, the vast majority of them older people, who need support, and also for their families. Not only from the point of view of companionship, but also with other resources that we provide and that we have expanded”.

Among the improvements that the Town Council has introduced in this service, and which will be expanded in 2026, a financial Fund of 70,000 euros stands out for home adaptations, toiletries and household cleaning products for vulnerable users and those in social exclusion; as well as the increase in technical aids that make it easier for users to move around their homes and for service staff to provide the service properly, with new equipment in addition to the mandatory number. Thus, the Town Council has electric orthopaedic hoists of up to 180 kilos, in addition to the mandatory ones; another 30 adjustable articulated beds with rails, 30 anti-bedsore mattresses also in addition to those provided for; 40 more shower and toilet chairs with wheels; as well as another 40 extra walking aid devices (walkers, crutches and canes). Likewise, complementary deep cleans and additional annual pedicure and manicure services have been increased, and as many again for hairdressing.

The Town Council has been attending to around 750 people this year. The majority profile of users of the Home Help Service in Estepona is that of a woman aged between 80 and 89, according to the data from last year’s activity report. Of the total number of people attended, 68% were women, compared with 32% men. Most of these users are in the age bracket between 70 and over 90.