Preliminary CPI data released this Wednesday by INE enables a clearer view of next year’s pension contributions for Spain. In Alicante, Social Security pays out 337,124 benefits every month across the province.
Under the most recent reform, the pension increase is the average of inflation over the prior twelve months, from December of the previous year through November of the current year. This yields an increase of 3.78%, rounded to 3.8%.
Although this rise falls well short of the 8.5% boost seen at the start of the year, driven by the 2022 price surge, it remains a substantial improvement. Nationally, the average pension will rise by 45.51 euros per month, lifting the average from 1,198 euros to 1,243 euros. In Alicante, the increase will be slightly smaller due to the relatively lower benefit base, tempered by regional wage patterns and a job market that is often seasonal and precarious.
At present, the average pension in Alicante stands at 1,036 euros, about 13.5% below the national figure. If the 3.8% increase is confirmed, benefits nationwide will rise by roughly 39.36 euros on average from January, reaching about 1,075 euros per month.
Pension types
Different pension types see different gains. The largest is tied to contribution-based allowances. The income of 218,604 Alicante residents, currently averaging 1,174 euros, will rise by 44.6 euros per month with this revaluation. Disability benefits for 23,077 residents will increase by an average of 38.6 euros, from 1,015.6 euros to 1,054.2 euros.
Approximately 8,800 Alicante retirees earn more than 3,000 euros per month. Widowhood pensions, the second-largest category with 81,785 beneficiaries, will increase by 29.25 euros, bringing many close to 800 euros monthly for the first time. Family-member pensions rise by 25.58 euros to an average of 698.4 euros; those on orphan benefits see gains of about 16 euros, moving from 423 euros to 439 euros per beneficiary.
All data rests on the most recent Social Security statistics, corresponding to November payments. The public agency reported total disbursements of 349.2 million euros to cover retiree benefits nationwide. This update accompanies the inflation-driven automatic revaluation applied last year and the higher benefits for new beneficiaries this year. As a result, Alicante pensions remain below the regional average and the national average, though by smaller margins than in prior months.
In the Alicante region, the average pension trail remains about 68.61 euros below the regional average and roughly 162 euros below the national average as of November.
An Alicante resident secured a ruling allowing him to reduce retirement dates to continue contributing and receive a higher payout
Self-employment
For those in the General Regime, including self-employed workers, the contrast is telling. The average income for Alicante beneficiaries in the general regime stands at 1,118.74 euros, while retirement benefits average 1,293 euros. This is noticeably higher than the Social Security retirees’ average. Self-employed pensions average 791.4 euros per month, and overall pension payments average 875.3 euros.
Social Security data also show a notable rise in the number of pensions paid within the province. The current total is 337,124 beneficiaries, an increase of 6,102 from a year earlier.