Andorra Allocates €4.3M in Rental Subsidies to 1,847 Amid 35% Rise in Housing Cases

The Department of Social Affairs allocated €4.3 million in rental housing subsidies to 1,847 users during 2025, despite a 35.4% rise in housing-related cases handled by primary social services.

Primary social attention services managed 264 housing issue files last year, up from 195 in 2024. Department director Joan Carles Villaverde noted during Tuesday's annual review that access to affordable housing remains a key driver of social vulnerability, driven by sharp rent increases for those forced to relocate. Including €910,000 in occasional housing maintenance aid, total housing support reached €5.2 million.

Beneficiary numbers fell 26.6% from 2024 amid a return to standard eligibility rules after temporary easing, alongside growing availability of affordable public rentals. Officials reported nearly 100 families previously on rental aid transitioned to affordable units, reducing reliance on subsidies. Minister Trini Marín described 2025 as a transitional year following regulatory alignment with the government's affordable housing model.

Housing pressures persist, particularly evictions among vulnerable people. New emergency resources include eight flats in the Ribasol building for immediate accommodation, plus units in the Armor building and ARCA in Aixovall, with further public developments planned for 2027 and 2028.

Primary social services, bolstered to 18 staff, assisted 1,688 users—1,392 in ongoing cases (up 9%) and 296 in one-off interventions. Across 879 ongoing files, 2,451 issues were identified, averaging 2.79 per case. Economic difficulties topped the list (592 cases), followed by personal/family matters and health problems tied to chronic illness or work absences (552 cases), with school absenteeism and learning issues at 198.

Other services saw mixed trends: the Immediate Attention Service opened 35 files for 41 users (down 10% and 13%, respectively), while the Telephone Emergency Service conducted 236 interventions (up 16%). Occasional economic aids totaled over €3.2 million across categories, including housing access.