Many housewives have dedicated all or a large part of their lives to taking care of the home and family, a job that does not contribute to Social Security. For this reason, in many cases they have not been able to gather the necessary years to access a contributory retirement pension. In these cases, Social Security contemplates the non-contributory retirement pension, intended for those who have never contributed or have not done so for long enough, and whose full amount can reach 8,803.20 euros per year in 2026, although the final amount depends on income and the cohabitation unit.
Non-contributory pensions are an economic benefit intended for people who have never contributed or have not contributed long enough to access a contributory pension. These benefits are regulated in articles 363 to 373 of the General Social Security Law. This is financial aid aimed at people over 65 years of age or those with a disability equal to or greater than 65% who lack sufficient income.
It is worth clarifying that this pension is not exclusive to housewives, although they can also access it if they meet the requirements, since its purpose is to guarantee a minimum income. Furthermore, in 2026 these pensions have been revalued by 11.4%, an increase above that generally applied to contributory pensions, as stated in Royal Decree-Law 3/2026, in line with the new updating system promoted after the reform approved under Royal Decree 2/2023.
Amounts
The amount of the non-contributory pension depends on the income of the applicant and, where applicable, the income of the economic unit of coexistence. In 2026, the full amount of this benefit is 8,803.20 euros per year, which is equivalent to 628.80 euros per month in 14 payments. For its part, the minimum amount is 25% of that amount, that is, 2,200.80 euros per year or 157.20 euros per month in 14 payments.
| Non-contributory pension | Monthly amount* | Annual amount |
|---|---|---|
| Complete | €628.80 | €8,803.20 |
| Minimum (25%) | €157.20 | €2,200.80 |
When in the same cohabitation unit there is more than one beneficiary who collects the non-contributory pension, the amount of each one is reduced. In this way, if there are two beneficiaries, each one receives 7,482.72 euros per year (534.48 euros per month in 14 payments) and if there are three beneficiaries, each one receives 7,042.56 euros per year (503.04 euros per month).
Furthermore, if the beneficiary has personal income greater than 35% of the full annual amount of the pension, that is, above 3,081.12 euros in 2026, the benefit is reduced based on this excess. In any case, the amount to be received can never be less than 25% of the full pension, set at 2,200.80 euros per year.
Requirements
To access the non-contributory retirement pension, Social Security requires meeting three basic requirements, which are age, legal residence in Spain and lack of sufficient income. First of all, you must have reached the age of 65. Furthermore, the applicant must reside in Spanish territory and have done so for a period of ten years between the date on which he or she turned 16 and the date on which the pension accrued, two of which must be consecutive and immediately prior to the application. Lastly, you must not have income greater than 8,803.20 euros per year, although this amount may vary if you live with other family members in the same economic unit.