The local council (ayuntamiento) is a resident’s nearest gateway to access much help from the Spanish authorities.

The Ayuntamiento in L’Alfàs del Pi has a councillor and department for foreign residents and a Pangea office where staff speak different languages.

In order to access many services it is necessary to be registered on the town hall census (padrón). Registration is a simple process but you must remember to renew it. If you are British and already had your residence before 31/12/2020, renew your registration every five years and if you do not yet have residency, once you register on the padrón, you have to renew every two years until you get your permanent residency. Remember that to register you do not need to have a Spanish government residence card, you can simply do it with a passport.

Social Services has a team of professionals, social workers, lawyers, psychologists and advisers who offer all kinds of help and information on the assessment of disability, gender violence, minors, dependency, benefits and legal advice. To meet with Social Services, you only have to be registered in the municipality. To apply for much social care or benefits a minimum registration period may be required, generally between one to five years depending on the benefit. In addition, the Social Services department manages the local Pangea office.