I was always under the impression that Spain had a tougher welfare system than the UK in which political correctness was far less of an issue for them than it is for the British government, but from what I've read it sounds these days the UK is the tougher nation.

Perhaps I've got the wrong end of the stick, but from what I can gather if you are entitled to both, you are far better off being on benefits in Spain than you would be in the UK. It seems you get significantly more money a week in Spain, and living costs are a bit lower. Win-win situation.

Where are you getting your information from? I don't actually care but others will so I am just warming you up.

http://spain.othercountries.com/page...ocial-security

So what's that, about £630, which is £157 a week. In the UK the maximum job seekers allowance you can receive is £65 a week, and that's if you're lucky.

Best to be prepared and all that.

does it say how long the benefit lasts or how long you have to have earned or how much you have earned in order to claim this benefit?

Well, I don't claim to be an expert on the matter, I may have got completely the wrong end of the stick. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be able to compare to two systems.

From all the horror stories I've heard from British expats who hit financial trouble in Spain, I never imagined Spain as being a country with particularly generous benefits.

actually I can't see from your link any figures given



but yes - you pretty much do have the wrong end of the stick as far as I understand it

but I haven't used the system in either country so can't speak from experience

edit - just saw the figures

it does say 750 euros a month - & it does mention also that you have to have contributed to the system - unfortunately it doesn't say how long for, or how long you can expect to receive benefits

Ok. You get benefits based on what you have paid in. Maximum 2 years. You start on 70% of your previous salary for 6 months then 60% For the remaining period. After that you get nothing. It may seem a lot of money but dont forget you dont get any help with children, rent, council tax etc...

I was made redundant in July and am really struggling to find work. In the short term the benifits are really good but if I have not found work by May 2012 then we will be up the creak without a paddle.And i have 2 kids to support.

thanks - I knew it was contribution linked & also that it was time-limited

horrible situation for you to be in after so long here


for you

Ah, thanks for that. This is what I gathered, while in the UK the base rate of £65 a week might seem low, it is supplemented by very subsidised or sometimes even fully paid rent, child benefit, etc. While in Spain all that has to come out of the money you're paid upfront.

Still not sure what we will do. We have the house on the market but as things are I dont think we have much chance selling at the moment. Also, would we be much better off in the uk? Would I get a job over there? I am going back for a week in October to sus out a few things.

Yes, I think it can be a very generous system....or not, depending on your circumstances. If you are on the top rate of unemployment benefit then you get well over 1000 euros a month.

As an example, an unemployed married couple who are clients of mine were architects but lost their jobs. They get two years of paro money at over 1000 euros each. Then it drops down to just over 400 euros each and then finally nothing.

With €2000+ coming into the household per month they have been able to use their new found free time to re-study (not much chance of ever being a successful architect again!) so that they can switch careers. When you are unemployed there are lots of free courses on offer so that you can re-train or do a Master, etc.

So for some the paro is very good indeed. However for others it falls far short. For example autonomos who regardless of the amount of years that they have contributed to the system get nothing at all, although some measures are being taken to rectify that at least a little bit albeit far too late for most.

Also, I'm assuming the system in the UK is different in the sense that if the main breadwinner losses his job and the wife stayed at home, under the UK system, as there are two adults in the household, both would be entitled to jobseekers allowance, as that's about £120 a week. Whereas in Spain only the person who was employed is entitled to claim benefits, so as you said, if they had a good job, that's not a problem, but if they had a fairly working class job, things could get tricky.

I guess the positive with the Spanish system is it puts a stop to spongers who don't intend to find work. In the UK people seem to stay on it for years with no real effort to find a job, while in Spain you are given two years, and that's it. Seems a bit unfair in some circumstances, but it puts a stop to the spongers.

Many UK Benefits are residence- based or income-based so it doesn't matter how much, if anything, you have paid in, everyone on these Benefits will get the same.

Also with the out-of-work income-based benfits you get your rent or mortgage interest and your Council tax paid too.

There is no time limit on income-based benefit, nor on some Contributions-based. For example, if you are entitled to either income-based or contributions based sickness Benefits, providing you continue to fulfil the criteria, then you can stay on them indefinitely.

If you are a returning expat applying for means-tested income-based Benefits, you will have to pass the Habitual Residency Test which basically means convincing the authorities that you are living in the UK for the forseeable future and have not just come to claim Benefits. Evidence of this for example could be a rental or mortgage agreement, a Bank Account, your name on electoral roll, a job offer etc.

The UK in my opinion is much more generous with Benfits than other European countries including Spain. Why do you think many asylum speakers ignore all the other countries they pass through and go to the UK?

Get a Cryunair flight over, go to the nearest SS Office and tell them you are broke and tell me what you walk away with, apart from the Spanish for F O ringing in your ears.