The subsidy for people over 52 is one of the most important aids for unemployed people who are close to retirement age and have exhausted their contributory benefit. However, accessing this benefit from the State Public Employment Service (SEPE) does not depend solely on having reached that age or having worked for many years. The agency requires a series of conditions related to the applicant's work life, contributions, and income.
One of the requirements that can exclude most applications is having contributed a minimum of six years for unemployment throughout one's working life. This is an especially relevant condition for those who have spent a good part of their professional career as self-employed, as RETA contributions alone are not sufficient to prove this period.
The aid allows recipients to receive 480 euros per month and, in addition, to continue contributing for retirement until reaching the corresponding ordinary age, provided that the required conditions are maintained. For this reason, knowing the requirements before submitting the application is essential to avoid a denial.
The six years of unemployment contributions required by SEPE
The requirement that can prevent access to this aid is to prove at least six years of effective contribution for the contingency of unemployment throughout one's working life. This means that it is not enough to have worked for six years or even for several decades: it is necessary that this period corresponds to jobs in which contributions were specifically made for unemployment.
This condition especially affects self-employed workers. Although they may have accumulated many years of contributions to Social Security, their contributions to the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers (RETA) do not count towards reaching the six years required by SEPE. In addition, the agency establishes other conditions related to retirement. Applicants must prove a minimum of 15 years of contributions to Social Security, of which at least two must be within the last 15 years, in addition to meeting the other requirements to access a contributory retirement pension, except for age.
Therefore, a person may have worked for a large part of their life and be excluded from this benefit if they do not meet the specific contribution periods required by the regulations.
Income and other requirements to collect the 480 euros
In addition to the six years of unemployment contributions, the SEPE verifies that the applicant meets the income deficiency requirement. To access the aid, one's own income cannot exceed 75% of the interprofessional minimum wage (SMI), excluding the proportional part of two extraordinary payments. In 2026, with the SMI set at 1,221 euros per month, that limit is 915.75 euros per month. The agency takes into account the applicant's personal income, so exceeding that amount may prevent the recognition or continuity of the subsidy.
It is also mandatory to be at least 52 years old, be in a situation of total unemployment or work part-time, be registered as a job seeker, and have signed the activity agreement. Likewise, it is necessary to have exhausted a contributory unemployment benefit since November 1, 2024, or be in one of the access situations provided for by the regulations from that date. One of the main advantages of this benefit is that it does not have a limited duration like other subsidies. It can be maintained until reaching the ordinary retirement age, provided that the required conditions continue to be met.
The monthly amount is 480 euros, equivalent to 80% of the IPREM. In addition, while receiving the aid, the SEPE contributes for retirement based on a base equivalent to 125% of the current minimum contribution base. In this way, the benefit not only provides a monthly income to unemployed people but also allows them to maintain their contributions for their future pension.
