Top Honour for Municipal Social Services

The Ajuntament de Barcelona has been awarded the national prize for Best Municipal Social Services in the State by the Asociación Estatal de Directores y Gerentes en Servicios Sociales (Aedgss), a professional body of social services directors and managers. The award was announced on Saturday 7th November 2026, recognising the city’s high-performing, publicly funded social system. Barcelona is one of only five municipalities in Spain with over 20,000 inhabitants to achieve a top score in the DEC Local index, alongside Vitoria-Gasteiz, Valladolid, Montilla and Fuenlabrada.

How the Ranking Works

The DEC Local index evaluates municipal social services using over 30 official indicators, including service coverage, financial resources allocated, responsiveness to citizen needs, support for vulnerable groups and the overall development of local social systems. According to the Aedgss, the award highlights Barcelona’s sustained commitment to building public, accessible and high-quality social services aimed at securing rights, reducing inequality and meeting urban social challenges.

  • Barcelona invests €235 per inhabitant in social services
  • National municipal average: €86.86 per inhabitant
  • Social budget must be at least 10% of total spending
  • Budget must be stable or rising year-on-year
  • Data transparency is a key assessment criterion

This is the second consecutive year the city has received national recognition from Aedgss. In 2025, it was one of only twelve Spanish cities able to process emergency social benefits within 48 hours.

What It Means for Residents

The recognition reflects real access for Barcelona residents to a robust network of social support, including housing assistance, childcare, eldercare and income aid. The city’s performance in the DEC Local index means local policies are among the most effective in Spain at identifying and responding to social vulnerability. Residents can view the full municipal social services portfolio and eligibility criteria on the Barcelona City Council press release and the Municipal Archive report.

Primary sources: ajuntament.barcelona.cat, Ajuntament de Barcelona. Reported by europapress.es, Europa Press, diarioeuskadi.eus, catalunyapress.cat, catalunyapress.es.