Workers who have lost their jobs and do not have the contributions required to access the contributory unemployment benefit (unemployment), should know that the State Public Employment Service (SEPE) has a special subsidy for people who have worked less than a year. This benefit is regulated in article 274 of the General Social Security Law (LGSS) and, especially, it tries to prevent these employees, who in most cases have had very short or temporary contracts, from being left in a situation of vulnerability or total social exclusion by losing their source of income.
This is the subsidy for insufficient contributions and the first requirement that must be met, as stated by the SEPE on your websiteis having worked at least 90 days. In this case, aid can be collected for 3 months. Now, the more days of contributions credited, the longer the duration of the subsidy will be. Specifically, if we have 120 days, the duration will become 4 months; with 150 days, it will be 5 months; and if we have 180 days of contributions, it will be 6 months.
The SEPE will pay up to 30 months of subsidy after exhausting unemployment, but it is necessary to prove family responsibilities and lack of income
When unemployment is collected in May 2026, the dates for CaixaBank, ING, Santander, BBVA and the rest of the banks
There would be a last case, and that is that if we have family responsibilities and we have contributed a minimum of 180 days, the duration increases to 21 months (one year and 9 months). As it is a welfare aid, the second requirement is that you cannot have your own income greater than 75% of the minimum interprofessional salary. Thus, currently, one could not have income greater than 915.75 euros per month.
In addition, you must be legally unemployed and registered as a job seeker. It is also possible to combine it with one or more part-time jobs, as long as the sum of all working days is less than a full day. Of course, the contributions used to access this subsidy cannot be reused to generate a new unemployment benefit. On the other hand, they will count toward retirement or permanent disability pensions.
How much is charged with the insufficient contribution subsidy
The amount of the subsidies was modified with the entry into force of Royal Decree-Law 2/2024, what is known as the subsidy reform, so that the aid is reduced as the time it is being collected increases. Thus, during the first 180 days, 95% of the Multiple Effects Public Income Indicator (IPREM) is collected, which is equivalent to 570 euros.
From day 181 to day 360, 90% of the IPREM is received, which is equivalent to 540 euros. And finally, from day 361, 80% is charged, which is equivalent to 480 euros.
How to apply for the subsidy and what documents do I need
This aid must preferably be requested within a period of 15 business days from the causing event, that is, from when we lose our job, so as not to lose payment days. However, the law allows you to request it during the first six months, but the proportional part of those days of delay will be lost. That said, you can order from the electronic headquarters from the State Public Employment Service or at the benefits office of our place of residence, for which an appointment is required.
To do this, a series of documents must be provided, the first being the official application form, which contains the responsible declaration of income and income obtained during the previous calendar month and, where applicable, of the rest of the members of the family unit. If you are Spanish, you must attach your DNI or passport.
If you are a foreigner, but a national of the European Union, you must present your passport or identification document from our country, as well as the certificate of registration of a citizen of the European Union, which includes the Foreigner Identity Number (NIE), or the certificate of permanent residence of a citizen of the European Union, which includes the NIE.
If you are from outside the EU, you need an original of the Foreigner Identity Card (TIE), as long as it has a photograph. All this without prejudice to carrying the passport. In all cases (Spanish and foreign), you must also provide the family book or the Civil Registry certification of birth or family, as well as the Personal Income Tax (IRPF) declaration for the last fiscal year.