When you lose your job and you don't have time until you collect your retirement pension, things turn black. very black. For this reason, when the subsidy for those over 52 years of age appeared, a small light was opened in the darkness and helped many to support themselves until they reached retirement, or until they got a new job.
But, what does the subsidy for people over 52 consist of? Who can request it? What requirements do you have? If you are considering applying for it, below we give you all the keys to take into account.
What is the subsidy for people over 52 years of age?
The subsidy for people over 52 years of age is financial aid that is granted in Spain to those people over 52 years of age who have lost their job and have exhausted their unemployment benefits, that is, they no longer have the right to receive unemployment.
This subsidy is an aid for those people who are unemployed and who are over 52 years of age, which makes it more difficult for them to find work due to their age. In this way, they are helped financially so that they can cover basic needs while they must look for work or prepare for retirement.
And this help does not have an expiration date. Rather, it does, but it will be, unless a job is found earlier, the date on which a contributory retirement pension can be requested. That is, the retirement age is reached.
how much is charged
The subsidy for people over 52 years of age is help to cover basic needs. Which means that it will not be the same as a salary.
In 2023, the amount paid per month to each person who meets the requirements and who has accepted the subsidy is 480 euros.
Before this year the payment was 463 euros.
Subsidy requirements for people over 52 years of age
If, after reading all of the above, you want to know if you can request it in your case, you need to know what the requirements are to access the subsidy for people over 52 years of age.
To begin with, you must know that each and every one of them must be fulfilled. And which are they? We explain them to you:
- Be 52 or older. In reality, as long as you are not of retirement age (and this is over 52 years of age) you will be eligible for this subsidy.
- Being unemployed. And in this case you must have exhausted unemployment benefits in case you get any. In addition, you must comply with the commitment to be registered as a jobseeker for one month before requesting the subsidy.
- Have contributed for at least 6 years due to unemployment. That is, they ask you to have at least 6 years of having been active in Social Security, it does not matter if it is for someone else or self-employed. This is important to emphasize, because the unemployment contribution in the case of the self-employed is usually not mandatory, but optional.
- Not having own income. If you have an income that is greater than 75% of the minimum interprofessional salary, you will not be granted the subsidy for people over 52 years of age. So that you understand it better, you cannot receive more than 810 euros per month of your own income.
- Have enough contributions to retire. If you already have 15 years of contributions, you could access retirement. However, since the retirement age has not been reached, the allowance acts as if it were extra help while another job is found or the age is reached.
How to request the subsidy for people over 52 years of age
Do you meet all the requirements? So the next step, if you want, is to apply for this grant. The body in charge of receiving applications is SEPE, but in reality there are several ways to request aid.
For example, you can physically go to the employment office (yes, make sure you don't have to make an appointment, since you most likely have to ask for one or they won't attend you).
Doing it online through the SEPE electronic headquarters is another option. To do this, the electronic ID, digital certificate or user code and password must be available. If you do not have it, it does not mean that you cannot present it; Actually yes, only in this case a pre-application form is used that you will later have to officially present at the office.
Once you present it, and after a while, you will be able to review your online file through the Internet (on the SEPE website) without the need for a digital certificate. In this way, you will be able to know if you have been accepted for the subsidy or not.
If they have done so, the status of registration will appear in the last benefit section, and they will specify the type of benefit (in this case, the subsidy for people over 52 years of age).
Can the grant be maintained until retirement?
Yes and no. You see, as long as you meet the requirements, you can keep that grant over time. But the moment something changes, it can be cancelled.
And it is that having this subsidy implies a series of obligations on the part of the recipient. Which is it?
- Having to maintain the conditions that gave you the right to the subsidy.
- Comply with the so-called “activity commitment”. In other words, being obliged to look for work and being available in the event that the Public Employment Service calls to carry out training courses, job orientation sessions, job interviews or even job offers in which the profile fits.
In other words, just because you have that subsidy doesn't mean you shouldn't do anything. They can call you to do courses, to go to interviews or even to sign an employment contract. Keep in mind that there are cases in which those over 52 who receive the subsidy are receiving more training and job offers due to bonuses and help for companies in hiring these groups.
And what if you refuse? Well, you can be penalized (lose the subsidy between one and six months) or even lose the subsidy for a year, or forever.
Has the subsidy for people over 52 years of age become clearer to you now?