HEALTHPLAN MAGAZINE

The Ministry of Culture and Sports has announced that starting from Tuesday, June 13, young people who turn 18 in 2023 will have the opportunity to request the Cultural Bonus.

This initiative, which was first launched last year, benefited 277,554 young people, which was less than half of the estimated number of beneficiaries. It is anticipated that around 500,000 young people will benefit from the program this year, and applications can be made until September 30.

The Cultural Bonus is a direct financial aid of 400 euros. Recipients can spend this amount within twelve months from the date of receiving the grant on various products, services, and cultural activities across the country, provided that the companies are participating in the program.

The bonus is divided into three different categories, with specific amounts allocated for different purposes:

• 200 euros can be used for live arts, cultural heritage, and audiovisual arts, allowing young people to spend this amount on tickets and subscriptions for performing arts, live music, cinema, museums, libraries, exhibitions, and festivals related to music, literature, or audiovisual media.
• 100 euros can be used to purchase cultural products in physical form, including books, magazines, newspapers, video games, sheet music, records, CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays.
• 100 euros can be used for digital or online consumption, such as subscriptions and rentals for music, reading, or audio-reading platforms, purchase of audiobooks, digital books (e-books), subscriptions to download multimedia files (podcasts), online video game subscriptions, digital subscriptions to newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals.

Certain products are excluded from being purchased with the Cultural Bonus, such as stationery items, curricular textbooks in physical or digital format, equipment, software, hardware, computer and electronic consumables, artistic materials, musical instruments, sports events, fashion, gastronomy, and X-rated or pornographic products.

To be eligible for the Cultural Bonus, individuals must meet certain requirements. They must turn 18 during 2023 and have either Spanish nationality or residence. Young applicants seeking asylum or temporary protection in the country may also apply for this financial aid as long as they meet the age requirement.

This year, the main change is that the amount granted can also be spent on bullfighting, following the Supreme Court's ruling that overturned the exclusion of this activity from the program. The Court deemed the government's justifications for the exclusion as "insufficient."

To apply for the Cultural Bonus, young people need to register on the website and have their electronic DNI or Cl@ve ready. They must complete the application form, provide the required documentation, and sign it. The ministry will verify the applicant's eligibility and grant the aid. The amount will be paid in a single payment, in the form of a virtual prepaid card, which will contain a number and the beneficiary's identity. In exceptional cases where the beneficiary does not have a compatible mobile phone, a physical card may be issued. If an application is rejected, the applicant has ten days to submit their objections.

Products purchased through the Cultural Bonus can be returned and exchanged for an item of equal or higher value, with the authorisation of the participating company. However, requesting a refund of the money is not allowed unless the adhered entity or its suppliers/providers are unable to deliver the cultural product or provide the service or activity.

Selling the entire Cultural Bonus is considered a serious offence and is even classified as a crime under the law governing public subsidies. However, selling the products acquired with the bonus would not be punishable since they become private property after purchase.

Recipients of the Cultural Bonus in 2022 who earned more than 22,000 euros from a single source of income are required to include the amount consumed in their income statement.

Those with multiple sources of income must also include the aid received if their total earnings exceed 14,000 euros.

Sources

https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/5137032/0/los-jovenes-ya-pueden-solicitar-el-bono-cultural-novedades-requisitos-cuantia-otorgada-y-como-pedirlo/