Spain

Spain

At a glance

• Two key laws concerning disability inclusion in Spain are the General Law on Rights of Persons with Disabilities and their Social Inclusion (2013) and the Comprehensive Law for Equal Treatment and Non-Discrimination (2022). 

• Spain has signed and ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

Key stats

• There are 4.74 million disabled people in Spain, which is 10 per cent of the population (CERMI) 

• 35.3 per cent of disabled people aged 16-64 were economically active in 2022. This is 42.7 percentage points lower than non-disabled adults (National Institute of Statistics). 

• The purchasing power of disabled people in Spain is estimated to be €95.4 billion per year (Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries).  

The law

• Disability legislation: 
  • Consolidated Law for Equal Treatment (2022) – This strengthened earlier protections against discrimination based on a number of characteristics, including disability. It covers large areas of life, including employment, access to products and services, education and artificial intelligence. Discrimination under this law includes denial of reasonable adjustments. Equinet has a detailed explanation of this law. 
  • General Law on Disability (2013) – Its full title is the General Law on Rights of Persons with Disabilities and their Social Inclusion. This consolidated three earlier laws. It provides explicit protection from discrimination in areas of life including healthcare, education and employment. 

• Definition of disability – The General Law on Disability defines disability as a “physical, intellectual or sensorial impairment, which will predictably be permanent, and when they interact with a range of barriers, these can prevent them from participating fully and effectively in society in the same condition as others.” The Comprehensive Law on Equal Treatment does not provide a definition. 

Language

• Acceptable language: Acceptable Spanish words for common disability-related terminology include: 
  • Accesibilidad – accessibility 
  • Discapacidad – disability 
  • Persona con discapacidad – person with a disability 
  • Ajustes razonables – reasonable adjustments/accommodations 
  • See the UN’s guidance on disability-inclusive language for more examples (pages 19-20). 

• Unacceptable language: 
  • Handicapped – In February 2024, Spain’s parliament amended the constitution to replace “discapacitado” (handicapped) with “personas con discapacidad” (persons with a disability). This reflects a shift in generally accepted language. 
  • Identity-first language – Phrases such as “sorda” to mean deaf person, or “autista” to mean autistic person, may be more likely to cause offence. More acceptable language would be to say “persona con” before the disability or condition (this is person-first language). 
  • Outdated language – Some Spanish terms for disability are outdated and considered offensive by many disabled people in Spain. These include “minusvalido”, “disminudo” and “invalido.” 

Employment

• Adjustments / accommodations – Employers must make reasonable adjustments (“ajustes razonables”) for disabled people, provided that the individual is able to do the job with support. Whether something is reasonable depends on context – for example, the individual, their role, and the organisation. Adjustments must not impose a disproportionate burden on the employer. 

• Positive discrimination – Employers can use measures to increase the numbers of disabled people they employ, including by discriminating in favour of disabled people during recruitment. 

• Quotas – Organisations with more than 50 employees must have at least 2 per cent disabled people in their workforce. The individual must be at least “33 per cent disabled” to meet the quota. Failure to meet this quota can result in fines, loss of access to subsidies, and a ban on receiving public contracts 

• Data – Employers must report annually how many disabled people they employ, to demonstrate that they have met the 2 per cent quota. 

• Incentives – Spain offers a number of incentives for employers to hire and retain disabled people. These include: 
  • Discounts on income tax returns 
  • Reduced social security contributions 
  • Wage subsidies 
  • Financial support to make reasonable adjustments. 

Customers

• Disabled customers are protected from discrimination and unfair treatment by the General Law on Disability and the Consolidated Law for Equal Treatment. Businesses must ensure goods and services are accessible to disabled customers. 

Built environment

• Premises open to the public must meet accessibility criteria. These apply to both new and existing premises equally. However, there are some exemptions for historic buildings. 

Digital accessibility

• Public bodies and private entities providing services of general interest in Spain are required by a 2018 Royal Decree to comply with WCAG 2.0. 

• European Accessibility Act – As a member of the EU, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) also applies in Spain. This is due to come into effect in July 2025. The EAA mandates a minimum standard of accessibility across a wide range of digital products and services. It applies to public bodies and private businesses. See our guidance on the EAA for more information. 

• Some regions and autonomous communities in Spain have their own standards for digital accessibility. 

Case studies

Would you like to showcase your organisation’s work on our Knowledge Hub? Contact enquiries@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk.

Country-specific disability organisations

• CERMI – The Spanish Committee of Representatives of People with Disabilities is a charity that seeks to promote the human rights of disabled people in Spain. It brings together disabled people, their families, and disability-related organisations. 

• Real Patronato sobre Discapacidad – The Royal Board on Disability is part of the Ministry of Social Rights. It conducts research into disability in Spain, and runs projects and programmes to improve disability inclusion. 

• SID – The Disability Information Service provides information and advice on disability in Spain. It was created by the University of Salamanca and the Department of Social Services of the Regional Government of Castille and León.