Table on how the increase in the MEI will affect your payroll in 2026: this is what your salary looks like

In 2023, the Government approved Royal Decree-Law 2/2023 as part of the reform to improve and guarantee the sustainability of the public pension system. Among the measures adopted, this regulation adjusted the Intergenerational Equity Mechanism (MEI)an additional contribution intended to reinforce the Social Security Reserve Fund, known as the “pension piggy bank.” This mechanism, which was not a creation of 2023 but had already existed since 2021, will see its contribution rate increased again as of January 1, 2026, following the progressive scale established in the law (which can be consulted in this BOE).

To understand how this mechanism works, it is useful to keep two keys in mind. First, it is a mandatory contribution for all workers, regardless of their income level, who contribute for their retirement. Second, as it is a fixed percentage of the contribution base, the discounted amount increases as the salary increases, but only until the maximum contribution base set each year is reached.

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Table with the contribution to the MEI based on salary

This discount is not static, but increases little by little each year. In 2026, the total MEI contribution rate will rise to 0.90%, of which 0.15% will be assumed by the worker. This means that the larger the payroll, the greater the amount to be deducted.

Now, how much does it take from me based on my salary? In the following table you can see how much will be deducted from the MEI payroll based on salary:

Thus, we can see that, for example, the deduction for a salary of 2,000 euros will be less than for one of 3,500 euros. However, once the salary exceeds the maximum contribution limit (the legal limit on which contributions are calculated), the amount of the MEI deduction no longer increases, and the maximum possible deduction is then applied. For the rest of the salaries below that limit, the discount will always be proportional to your contribution base.

Table of how the MEI will affect the coming years

As we have said, this evolution will be progressive, that is, the contribution percentage will increase each year until it reaches 1.20% in 2029. From that year on, the rate will remain stable until 2050.

This annual increase is always distributed between the company and the worker. So that you can see how it will affect your payroll, the following table breaks down the evolution of contribution types and shows the monthly discount for different salaries from 2025.