Social benefits in Spain are like Gruyère cheese: full of holes. Although the social security system covers a range of needs, from pensions to unemployment, the reality is that many benefits are neither as efficient nor as comprehensive as they should be. One clear example is unemployment benefits. In theory, anyone losing their job should have access to a payment allowing them to live while seeking new work. In practice, things are not so simple.
According to SEPE, the State Public Employment Service, in 2022 only 58% of registered unemployed people received some form of benefit. This means 42% of unemployed people have no access to any kind of assistance, leaving them vulnerable. And that is not all: the amounts received are often insufficient to cover even basic needs, especially in big cities where living costs are higher.
Then there are pensions. In 2022, Spain’s average pension was around €1,100 a month, but not every pensioner receives that amount. According to the Social Security Report, women who have worked fewer years or in more precarious jobs receive significantly lower pensions, averaging around €800 monthly. In a country where rents and basic utility prices keep rising, many pensioners barely make ends meet.
Naturally, the government has promised to improve this system, but promises do not pay the bills. Meanwhile, we keep seeing many of our older people depend on help from their children, or even charity, to live with dignity. The problem? Bureaucracy, a lack of long-term planning, and, in some cases, a lack of political will to change things fundamentally.