Donation figures for 2025 compiled by the Spanish General Council of Notaries and analysed by El País reflect profound social changes in Spain. Thus:
1. Twenty years ago, the wealth of those under 35 accounted for 8% of the total wealth of Spaniards; today it accounts for just 2% (Bank of Spain data). At the same time, the wealth of those over 65 has risen from 25% to 40% of the total in those same 20 years.
2. Young people do not have enough wealth to pay for a down payment on their first home. House prices are rising faster than their savings. In addition, they want to take out a mortgage, but cannot do so due to a lack of liquidity to pay for the down payment on the flat.
3. Their parents have come to the rescue. This is reflected in the 225,000 donations from parents to children that took place in Spain in 2025, 13% more than in 2024.
4. The typical donation from parents to children is between 15.000 euros and 40.000 euros. These are middle-class families and the child is under 35 years of age. The money is used to pay the deposit on their first home.
In short, the concentration of wealth among the over-65s, together with the rise in housing prices in Spain, are leading to ever-increasing donations from parents to children in Spain.
