Retiree

As a married couple, both of us qualified for a full UK pension and receive that. We both have Residencia Permanente status in Spain.
I am and have worked as autonomo for coming up to 16 years which passes the threshold of 15 years of contribution into Spanish social security required for a Spanish pension.

In round figures, the pension accrued for 15 years is €300 x 14 payments per annum. This is then augmented to a minimum pension (regionally dependent, I believe) of;
Single person €675 x 14 annually.
Married person with non-dependent spouse €650 x 14 annually.
Married person with dependent spouse €840 x 14 annually.

The requirements for the minimum pension are stated as;
Reside in Spain.
If a couple, live together.
Do not receive a public pension, including that recognised by other states.
Income*, excluding pension, must not exceed €8,830 p.a. *Income defined as: from work, capital or economic activities and capital gains.

As I don't require my UK & Spanish pension years to be combined, I would like to know what might or will be, a Spanish one in addition to the UK one.

Does anyone have recent knowledge or experience of this?

Loafing Along

The Social Security has a website with a pension calculator : https://w6.seg-social.es/autocalculo/
Maybe worth a try.

Remember also for your last two years if you are unemployed the SS will continue to pay your pension contributions. So worth closing your activity early and applying for "El paro"

Mustard

I am in a similar situation. I recently installed a digital certificate on my computer and then accessed the Social Security website. I was able to obtain a prediction of the amount that I will receive for my Spanish pension. It doesn't explain the calculation but it gives you a figure.

Retiree

Loafing Along, thank you for that, I will look at it tomorrow.

Retiree

Mustard, thank you. The figures I quoted were from accessing the Social Security website using my electronic 'Clave'.

I suppose what I am asking is which of the figures might apply to me: €300, €650 or €840. These correspond to basic, with a non-dependent spouse or with a dependent spouse. What will, from experience, be the interpretation by Social Security?

I ask this here as I would like to know the outcome/knowledge of others in my position in order to help me determine my income from all sources when/if I fully retire.

billgates

Does that mean you will not receive a UK pension in addition to a Spanish pension? Is it one or the other?

Pulaski

What does that mean? It looks a lot like that would include a British state pension, which would mean that the rules specifically exclude people double-dipping state pensions in two countries simultaneously. The UK does not have such a rule.

Mustard

You have to remember that we are talking about the minimum pension here which is a safety net.

If you get a Spanish state pension of only 500€ pm then the safety net would kick in.

If on the other hand you are also receiving a UK state pension of 500€ pm then you are over the safety net, which wouldn't apply as you would be receiving 2x 500€. ( Spain + UK )

That's how I understand the situation but am happy to be corrected. I'm not sure what you mean by 'double dipping'.

Retiree

I suspect you are right. I was hoping that others here would had been in the same position as I am but had then moved on to full retirement and be in a position to confirm Spanish interpretation. Under Spanish pension rules, the pension is a benefit for the fully retired whereas in the UK it is an entitlement of age. I work and receive UK pension but I must stop to receive Spanish one: a big decision, not the least of it being what I could find to fill my free time!

Pulaski

Well your quote chopped off the part of what I said that explained what I meant! "…. double-dipping state pensions in two countries simultaneously."

By which I meant, er, …. claiming state pensions in two countries simultaneously.

Loafing Along

Not quite correct, as an autonomo you can carry on working after the retirement , (provided you have completed the necessary age critieria not sure what it is today but has increased progressively since 2015 ) at a reduced rate , say 50% of your time and then there will be a reduction in the pension received until such time as you are fully retired.

Loafing Along

No problem with that if you have made the necessary contributions in two or even three countries..

Pulaski

Maybe, maybe not. …. The US has some arcane and intricate rules for their state pension (usually called "social security") that might (or might not) see your US payment reduced on a sliding scale based on other pensions received, whether government, employer, and/or personal.

Retiree

Yes, I accept there is a middle ground but at the moment I don't see that it would suit what I do. However, it still begs the question of what the pension would be.

Loafing Along

Here is a comprehensive guide :

1. Retirement age
2. Years of contribution to qualify
3. Base of calculation depending on contribution amount

https://www.serautonomo.net/la-jubil...a-pension.html

At the boittom of the page is a new link which takes to a download , format Excel, into which you put the requested information - age, etc etc. It is a few years old but will give some guidance

Forgot to add in 2020 : the retirment age has increased to 65 years and 10 months with 23 years of contributions, no longer 15.