Unemployment benefits are among the most requested financial supports for those without work. They can be accessed even when applicants do not have dependent family responsibilities, through eligibility methods that do not require fees. The following groups illustrate typical scenarios where these benefits may apply:
- People who are unemployed and over 45 years old and have exhausted their contribution margin.
- Unemployed individuals who have reached 52 years of age and meet all conditions except age-related provisions for a pension.
- Unemployed people who have paid premiums spanning between 180 and 359 days.
- Unemployed individuals who are declared fully capable or partially disabled as a result of a disability review.
- Individuals released from prison.
- Returning migrant workers.
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To collect unemployment benefits or extraordinary unemployment benefits, certain general requirements must be met, along with service-specific conditions:
- No personal income exceeding 75% of the current monthly minimum interprofessional salary, excluding the proportionate portion of two extraordinary payments.
- Registered as a job seeker, actively pursuing work, and not declining a suitable job offer or refusing training, promotion, or professional transformation actions.
- Have not reached an age that grants access to a premium or non-contributory pension.
If unemployment persists and there is no entitlement to contributions or unemployment benefits, a supplementary income program called RAi is available. RAi can be issued for up to 11 months and starts the day after the request. The monthly grant is 80% of the IPREM, approximately 480 euros.
This specific assistance applies to unemployed individuals who are not currently employed and covers:
- Registration as unemployed and as a job seeker, maintaining that status during the benefit and signing the activity commitment.
- Being under 65 years of age.
- Not having own monthly income above 75% of the minimum interprofessional salary, excluding the proportionate portion of two extraordinary payments.
- Victims of gender, domestic, or sexual violence may access RAi, provided they have not benefited from three prior programs, do not reside with the aggressor, and are registered as a claimant while meeting family income requirements.
- Not receiving any of the previous three RAi benefits.
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When unemployment runs out and there are family responsibilities, this tax relief can apply. The benefit lasts six months if requested promptly and can be extended in six-month blocks depending on the duration of unemployment pursued and the recipient’s age. The monthly unemployment subsidy equals 80% of the IPREM, or about 480 euros in practice.
In addition to receiving this aid for unemployed individuals with family responsibilities, certain requirements must be met:
- Be unemployed.
- Be registered as a job seeker for at least one month after the end of the benefit window, continuing registration for as long as the subsidy is received, and not refusing suitable job offers or necessary participation in training or professional development.
- Sign the activity commitment.
- Have previously received unemployment benefits.
- Have family responsibilities.
- Not have income above 75% of the interprofessional minimum wage, excluding the proportionate portion of two extraordinary payments.
If unemployment has ended and the person is over 45, they may be eligible for a subsidy targeted at workers aged 45 and over who have exhausted their contributions. The subsidy lasts six months and provides about 480 euros monthly.
This assistance covers unemployed individuals who are not currently receiving unemployment benefits and includes:
- Being unemployed.
- Being registered as a job seeker for a month after unemployment benefits end, or after leaving prison, returning from abroad, or undergoing disability assessment, without rejecting suitable offers during that month.
- Sign the activity commitment.
- Having exhausted the unemployment benefit at the contribution level.
- Be at least 45 years old.
- Not having income above 75% of the minimum interprofessional salary.
If unemployment has finished and the person is older than 52 or has exhausted related benefits, there is a special subsidy for those aged 52 or more. The subsidy lasts until retirement age and pays 80% of IPREM, about 480 euros a month.
To access this benefit for unemployed individuals aged 52 or older, the following conditions apply:
- Be unemployed.
- Be 52 years or older when the subsidy criteria are met, due to one of several scenarios including exhausted premium contributions or unemployment benefits, being a returning migrant who worked abroad for at least 12 months, or facing disability-related conditions.
- Not being released from prison with access to unemployment benefits, or having a disability declaration escalating to a protected status.
- Having paid unemployment premiums for a period between 90 and 359 days.
- Register as a job seeker for one month after unemployment benefits end, regardless of the triggering scenario, or within one month after returning home, release, or disability review, maintaining registration while receiving the subsidy.
- Fulfill the activity commitment associated with the subsidy.
- Not having income above 75% of the minimum interprofessional salary.
- Demonstrate eligibility for any supplementary pension in the Spanish Social Security system, with a contribution history meeting the required years for retirement and unemployment benefits.
Extraordinary unemployment benefits may also be available for those who have finished unemployment, worked less than a year, or are long-term unemployed who exhausted standard benefits. The maximum duration is 180 days, not to exceed one payment, with a subsidy equal to 80% of IPREM, currently around 480 euros.
In all of these programs, eligibility hinges on meeting specific participation requirements and income tests. Those who lack entitlement to unemployment protection at the premium or benefit level, or who have not reached the appropriate age for a premium or non-contributory pension, must meet income and work history criteria. Individuals who left their last job without good cause, those who have not previously benefited from certain economic assistance programs, and those not currently employed or whose contracts have been suspended may also qualify for different forms of support depending on the circumstances. In every case, meeting the activity commitments and income thresholds remains essential to accessing these supports.