Contenido principal

The welfare level is intended for unemployed persons who for different reasons have been unable to return to work or access the contributory unemployment benefit; it is funded by state contributions and it consists of a financial benefit and a payment to the Social Security for the contributions corresponding to certain contingencies.

The beneficiaries of the unemployment benefit are people who are out of work and registered as job seekers, without having rejected a suitable offer of work or having refused to participate, without a justified cause, in professional conversion, training or promotion activities, as well as people who do not have monthly earnings greater than 75% of the national minimum wage, excluding the proportional part of the special payments, provided that they are in one of the following situations:

• Having used up a contributory unemployment benefit and having family responsibilities.
• Having used up a contributory unemployment benefit of at least 360 days, having no family responsibilities and being over the age of 45 on the date of the benefit expiry.
• Not being entitled to a contributory benefit, if they meet certain requirements (minimum contribution period and/or family responsibilities).
• Under the terms provided for, being a returned emigrant, freed from prison or rehabilitated disabled person from a situation of total or absolute permanent disability or serious disability.

The duration of the benefit and the Social Security contributions shall depend on the type of benefit to which the beneficiary is entitled. These types are:

1. Unemployment benefit. The amount is equivalent to 80% of the current monthly Public Income Indicator with Multiple Effects (IPREM) in force at any given time. In the 2011 financial year, the monthly IPREM was set at €532.51, and therefore the benefit shall be €426.
2. Unemployment subsidy for workers older than 52 years of age. The amount in this case is identical to the previous amount. They can receive the benefit until reaching retirement.
3. Special benefit for workers over 45 years of age who have used up their 24-month unemployment benefits. The amount varies between 80% of the IPREM (worker with one or zero dependant family members); 107% (two dependent family members) and 133% (three or more dependent family members).