Disabled Andorran Denounces Tax Dept for Freezing Bank Account Amid Vulnerability
A grade 2 disabled resident earning below minimum wage had his €1,080 monthly income frozen by tax authorities, causing distress over food expenses;.
Key Points
- Bank account frozen last week despite €1,080 income below minimum wage and grade 2 disability.
- Discovered freeze at ATM after 10-day isolation per medical advice, urgent plea for essentials.
- Similar SAIG seizure of €3,656 prior month; courts ruled in his favor.
- Freeze lifted post-complaint; officials urge instalments for old vehicle debts.
A resident of Sant Julià de Lòria with a recognised grade 2 disability and a diagnosed mental health disorder has denounced the Tax Department for freezing his bank account last week, despite his vulnerable circumstances and monthly income of €1,080—below the national minimum wage.
The man discovered the block when he tried to withdraw cash from an ATM on the same day he left home for the first time in 10 days, following medical advice. With no cash on hand, he faced immediate distress over covering basic food expenses. In a formal request to the Government that day, he described the situation as urgent and demanded the immediate lifting of the freeze, stating he needed access to funds for essentials.
This incident follows a similar episode just one month earlier, when the Social Security Fund (SAIG) erroneously seized €3,656 from his account due to debts from his failed business. Court rulings have supported him in that case, and medical reports confirm his incapacity, yet he describes ongoing "administrative persecution" and "institutional mistreatment."
Tax officials lifted the latest freeze hours after his complaint. However, they advised him to arrange instalment payments for longstanding debts linked to seized motorbike and trailer registration stickers, now held by SAIG. The man noted these vehicles cannot be sold or deregistered, stemming from his business closure for health reasons.
Unable to visit public offices like the Government, CASS or the Batllia due to medical restrictions, he has appointed legal representation. "They disregard my situation and the fact that I earn less than the minimum wage," he said. "I've been fighting for years for basic rights, and every time I make progress, the system sets me back."
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: