jen194

Hi everyone.
I was wondering if the Spanish pension for a European citizen is dependent on how much and for how long one has paid in or is it similar to the UK where you get a fixed amount per week?
Thanks.

snikpoh

It's only a fixed amount in UK if you've paid in enough and for long enough! (and they keep moving the goal posts!)

I did my homework and retired early to Spain knowing when and how much state pension I would get. Then they informed everyone that they needed an extra 10 years of contributions to get the full amount. So much for doing ones homework!

Moses2013

This is probably a good guide: https://www.expatica.com/new/es/fina...nsions-846584/

In order to qualify for the minimum state Spanish pension, you must have worked and paid Spanish social security contributions for at least 15 years. In order to claim a full Spanish pension rate, however, you must have worked and contributed for at least 35 years and six months. An additional condition is that at least two years must be within the 15 year period immediately preceding the pension claim. There are some exceptions that can count towards your contribution period, for example maternity leave, unemployment or certain workplace hazards.

By 2027, the government plans to raise the minimum contribution period from 15 to 25 years and the threshold for claiming the maximum Spanish pension rate from to 37 years.

jen194

What if you have lived in Germany for most of your life and 16 years in the UK and have just over 7 years left to work in Spain? Does that contribution count towards the Spanish pension?

scot47

Jen I can point you to this -
https://www.gov.uk/international-pension-centre


I imagine there is a similar department in Spain. Make inquiries through an MEP or similar

bobd22

Is there a legal definition of European Citizen? I would have though that you would at the required age be entitled to a state pension from the uk for the 16 years contributions that you have? I believe that the minimum required is 10 years contributions below that you are not entitled to anything. You certainly wont with 16 years contributions get the full new rate for the UK single tier state pension. You may if you are female and have children be able to claim some extra years for bringing up the child ( I believe the max is 12 years?). If you worked and contributed in Germany surely you would need to contact them in relation to any pension owed and the same if you have worked in Spain. I am not aware of any European wide pension other that for those employed by the EU.

Loafing Along

EU and international pensions in Spain are coordinated through your local Social Security . If you work in Spain the SS will have your work history and when you reach retirement age they will ask you to complete a form setting out your working life history and then they do the process of contacting the other countries where you acquired pension rights. Obviously this means all your pensions will be paid into a Spanish bank account and taxed accordingly. Have done it for three different countries and know the system works.The years worked out of Spain do not count towards the Spanish pension.

scot47

National Insurance systems in EU countries are linked when it comes to claiming a State Retirement Pension. Very compoles. Leave it the experts !

Fred James

VFR

I have read that a Spanish State pension can only be paid into a Spanish bank account, don't know if that is correct though ?

scot47

"compoles" is my weird typo for "complex" Macular Degeneration is a strange thing !

Moses2013

How your pension is calculated

Pension authorities in each EU country you've worked in will look at the contributions you've paid into their system, how much you've paid in other countries, and for how long you've worked in different countries.

The EU-equivalent rate

Each pension authority will calculate the part of the pension it should pay taking into account periods completed in all EU countries.

To do so, it will add together the periods you completed in all EU countries and work out how much pension you would get had you contributed into its own scheme over the entire time (called the theoretical amount).

This amount will then be adjusted to reflect the actual time you were covered in that country (called the pro-rata benefit).

The national rate

If you meet the conditions for entitlement to a national pension irrespective of any periods completed in other countries, the pension authority will also calculate the national pension (known as an independent benefit).

Result

The national authority will then compare the pro-rata benefit and the independent benefit; you will receive whichever is higher from that EU country.

Each country's decision on your claim will be explained in a special note, the P1 form, you will receive.

scot47

Well done for finding that Moses
We need more "de-mystification"

snikpoh

That is certainly correct for a friend of mine. Sh'e gone back to the UK but has to maintain an account here for her late husbands pension. Costs almost as much i charges as she actually gets in the pension.

billgates

Does this mean that if I've paid 35 years into the UK system I qualify for a full UK pension, plus if I pay 15 years of SS as autonomo in Spain I also qualify for the minimum Spanish pension?

UK pension about 600 per month + min Spanish pension of about 950 per month = 1550 per month or am I just being silly?