The SEPE will calculate for beneficiaries of the subsidy for those over 52 years old with a base of €1,780.50 per month, which is 125% of the minimum base in 2026. This contribution adds years to the record and can increase the retirement pension.
The Social Security contributes €1,780.50 each month for each beneficiary of the subsidy for those over 52 years old. This amount is equivalent to the 125% of the minimum contribution base in force in 2026, according to Order PJC/297/2026. What is interesting for self-employed and salaried workers is that these months of contributions are added to the work history and improve the calculation of the future pension.
The subsidy, managed by the SEPE, is designed for those who have exhausted unemployment benefits and lack income. However, its contribution mechanism also makes it a useful tool for those who have alternated periods as employees and self-employed. The months that the SEPE contributes for you are months that cover gaps in your career and prevent your pension's regulatory base from being affected.
Requirements to access the subsidy and how the contribution works
To apply for this aid, three conditions must be met: having exhausted the contributory unemployment benefit, being at least 52 years old, and meeting all requirements for retirement except for age. That is, having at least 15 years of contributions, two of which must be in the last 15 years, and not having income that exceeds 75% of the minimum interprofessional salary.
While receiving the subsidy, the SEPE contributes to Social Security based on 125% of the minimum base. In 2026, this base is €1,780.50 per month. This amount is higher than the minimum base of the RETA, which is around €1,200, and helps raise the regulatory base of the future pension, especially if lower bases have been contributed in other periods.
Important: if you are self-employed and start receiving the subsidy, you must inform the SEPE. The aid is incompatible with full-time self-employment or employment. As soon as you register in the RETA, you lose the right to the benefit, except for very specific exceptions.
The years of subsidy count towards early retirement
A common mistake is to think that the years of subsidy do not count towards early retirement. They do count. The time that the SEPE contributes during the aid is added to the work history for all purposes, including the calculation of the years needed to access voluntary or involuntary retirement. If you later register as self-employed, those already consolidated periods are not lost; they are added to those you generate in the RETA.
Another common misconception is believing that the subsidy expires upon reaching 65 years of age. The reality is that it remains until reaching the ordinary retirement age. In 2026, that age is 65 if at least 38 years and three months of contributions are accredited, or 66 years and ten months in other cases. At that point, the pension automatically replaces the subsidy; both benefits are incompatible.
Contributing at 125% of the minimum base for several years significantly raises the regulatory base for retirement, especially if lower bases have been contributed in other periods.
How to take advantage of the subsidy if you are self-employed or have alternated jobs
For a self-employed person who has combined salaried work and their own activity, the subsidy can be a valuable bridge. Imagine you have contributed as an employee for fifteen years, then become self-employed, and later find yourself unemployed. If you meet the requirements, the subsidy will allow you to maintain a high contribution in the final stages of your career, which are the most significant in calculating the pension. Thus, when you return to the RETA or retire, the regulatory base will have benefited from those extra years.
The improvement is not insignificant: a single year contributed at €1,780.50 instead of the minimum base for self-employed can mean an increase of several thousand euros in the future pension, according to estimates based on the current retirement formula. Naturally, it all depends on the rest of the history, but the logic is clear: high bases push the average up, while gaps drag it down.
In summary, although the subsidy is not originally designed for self-employed individuals, knowing its contribution rules helps to better plan for retirement. If you are close to 52 years old and have contributed as an employee, it is worth reviewing your work history and seeking advice on whether you could access this aid. The difference in your future pension could be significant.
To apply for it, go to the SEPE electronic headquarters or your employment office with the corresponding application form. The subsidy has no end date: it is paid until retirement age as long as the requirements are maintained. And be careful: do not register as self-employed without informing the SEPE, as the aid will be immediately suspended and you may have to return the amounts received.
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