Politics · Spain · 18 hrs ago
Spain's self-employed face another year without a contribution reform
Spain's self-employed workers face another year without a contribution reform after talks stalled.
A 2022 agreement set a gradual system linking contributions to workers' actual income, with changes planned in stages through 2032.
The next round of talks, covering 2026 to 2028, broke down after the government proposed raising monthly contributions by between 17 and 206 euros.
The government then froze contribution rates for 2026, but no formal progress has followed, and workers still do not know their 2027 rates.
The delay matters because self-employed people also have lower average pensions than other workers and are seeking changes to benefits, including support when they stop working.
Their groups have proposed changes such as easier access to unemployment-style support and a subsidy for workers over 52.
The next government is expected to resume negotiations, while the benefit reforms also remain pending.
Spain’s self-employed face another year without an agreement on contribution rates or improvements to their social protections.
The government froze contributions for 2026 after criticism of a proposal to raise them, but formal negotiations have not resumed.
Self-employed workers do not yet know what contributions they will pay in 2027.
Associations are also seeking changes to benefits, including support for people who stop working and better pension provisions.
Spain had 3.5 million self-employed people registered with Social Security in September, according to the Ministry of Labour.
- Who
- Spain’s self-employed, the government and self-employed workers’ associations.
- What
- Negotiations on contribution rates and improvements to social protections remain stalled.
- When
- The article was published on 1 November 2026; rates for 2027 are not yet known.
- Where
- Spain.
- Why
- The government’s proposed contribution increases drew criticism, and the planned negotiations have not made formal progress.
The Spanish government
Self-employed workers’ associations
Contribution rates
The Spanish government
The government proposed raising 2026 contributions, then froze them after criticism.
Self-employed workers’ associations
ATA and other associations opposed the proposed increases and seek a contribution system linked to workers’ actual income.
Social protections
The Spanish government
The article says the government has not advanced reforms to benefits for self-employed workers.
Self-employed workers’ associations
The associations seek changes to cessation-of-activity benefits, pension provisions and support for older workers.
The government and self-employed workers’ associations agreed on a progressive contribution system linked to actual income, with further negotiations planned every three years.
The first contribution-rate framework under the agreement was set to apply.
ATA president Lorenzo Amor criticised the government’s proposed increases after a meeting with the Ministry of Inclusion.
The government froze contributions after criticism, intending to resume negotiations, but no formal progress was made.
Self-employed workers still do not know what contribution rates they will pay.
- Proposed lowest monthly contribution for 2026
- €217.37, an increase of €17
- Proposed highest monthly contribution for 2026
- €796.24, an increase of €206
- Self-employed people registered in September
- 3.5 million
- Average self-employed pension gap
- About €500 below the overall system average and nearly €700 below the general scheme
- Planned end of transition to contributions based on actual income
- 2032
What people are saying
The proposal the government has presented to raise contributions for the self-employed in 2026 is a new blow.