The minimum interprofessional salary (SMI) has risen from 1,134 euros gross to 1,184 euros, which represents an increase of 50 euros per month in 14 payments (700 euros per year) with respect to the previous SMI. This increase will not only benefit the 2.5 million workers who currently perceive it, but also to whom They receive or wish to access any unemployment subsidy of the State Public Employment Service (SEPE). To access these subsidies, it is necessary that income does not exceed 75 % of the SMIso when the minimum wage increases, this is also done by this threshold.
Until now, to access these SEPE welfare aid, the income level was set at 850.50 euros per month. Now, with the new interprofessional minimum salary regulated in Royal Decree 87/2025, The limit to access unemployment subsidies is set at 888 euros.
This is due to the fact that, like the public indicator of multiple effects income (IPREM), it influences the amounts of subsidies and the maximum and minimum amounts of the unemployment contributory benefit, the SMI affects the requirements to access subsidies.
Benefits in the subsidy for over 52 years
Another benefit of the minimum wage increase is that the subsidy for over 52 years will quote more for the retirement pension. This subsidy is the only one that quotes for retirement and does so for 125 % of the minimum contribution base in force each year. Currently, the minimum contribution base is 1,381.33 euros per month, so the subsidy for over 52 years It will quote 125 % of this amount, that is, for a base of 1,726.66 euros per month.
The contribution bases are linked to the minimum interprofessional salary (SMI). In this way, when the SMI is increased, the contribution bases will also increase, taking such an increase as a reference and adding an additional sixth. Therefore, when the minimum wage uploads, so will the contributions to the Subsidy for over 52 years.
This is established by the Royal Decree-Law 1/2025in its article 66, where it is provided that: “For exercise 2025 and until the approval of the corresponding Law of General State Budgets, the minimum contribution bases of the contribution groups of the regimes that have been established will increase from Automatic form in the same percentage that the minimum interprofessional salary does, increased by a sixth ”.
Requirements to access unemployment subsidies
To access unemployment subsidies it is necessary to meet a series of requirements. On the SEPE website they are specifically detailed depending on the subsidy you want to access. In general, The main requirements are the following:
- Having exhausted a contributory benefit for unemployment and finding itself in legal unemployment.
- Register as a job applicant and maintain said registration during the entire period of perception of the subsidy.
- Subscribe the activity commitment, which implies accepting the possibility of training courses or other activities proposed by the SEPE to improve employability.
- Accredit the requirement of lack of own income or, alternatively, family responsibilities. The lack of income is determined according to monthly income, which cannot exceed 75 % of the minimum interprofessional salary (SMI). With the new SMI increase to 1,184 euros per month, the revenue limit to access the subsidy is set at 888 euros per month.
In addition, there are other specific requirements, as is the case in the subsidy for over 52 years, in which it is requested to have the minimum quotes to access the retirement tax pension.
The subsidy forced to pay at the IPRF
With the ascent of the SMI, as well as the limits to access the unemployment subsidy, a new obligation is also born and is to submit the declaration corresponding to the Income Tax of the natural persons (IRPF) before the Treasury, regardless of the level of income level . That is, if for 2024 we charge an unemployment subsidy or we are receiving it during this 2025 we must make and present the draft income.