The Social Security has paid a total of 10,517,634 pensions in July, benefiting more than 9.5 million people, with a payroll amounting to 14,431.9 million euros.
6.73 million retirement pensions were registered, more than 2.3 million widowhood pensions, 1.06 million permanent disability pensions, 336,294 orphan pensions, and 46,895 in favor of relatives.
The average pension of the system stands at 1,372.2 euros, which represents an increase of 4.6% compared to the same month of the previous year. The average retirement pension, received by more than two-thirds of pensioners, reaches 1,573.7 euros per month, a 4.5% increase compared to July 2025. By regimes, the average retirement pension of the General Regime is 1,732.7 euros per month, while in the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers it is 1,061.2 euros.
The data also indicates an increase in delayed retirements, with 184,196 new registrations until July 2026, of which 11.9% were voluntary delayed retirements. This has raised the average age of access to retirement to 65.4 years, compared to 64.4 years in 2019. In addition, more than 1.6 million pensions have a supplement to reduce the gender gap, with 71% of the beneficiaries being women.
People who meet the contribution or income deficiency requirements are entitled to a pension in Spain, mainly highlighting contributing workers, low-income individuals, and dependent relatives. The Social Security system is divided into two modalities:
Contributory Pensions
These benefits require prior contributions to the system through labor contributions for a minimum time.
- Retirement: Requires having contributed for at least 15 years (two of them within the 15 years prior to cessation) and having reached the legal age required, which in 2026 is 65 years with 38 years and 3 months of contributions, or 66 years and 10 months with a shorter period.
- Permanent Disability: Aimed at those who see their work capacity reduced or annulled after having been affiliated and contributed to Social Security.
- Widowhood, Orphanhood, and in Favor of Relatives: Benefits for the spouse, children, or other direct relatives after the death of the person causing the benefit, provided that they met the required contribution periods.
Non-Contributory Pensions
These are intended to ensure a minimum income level for citizens in need, even if they have never contributed or do not meet the minimum required time.
- Non-contributory retirement: For people aged 65 or older, legal residents in Spain for at least 10 years (two of them consecutive and immediate to the application) who lack sufficient income (less than 8,803.20 € annually in 2026).
- Non-contributory disability: For people aged between 18 and 65 with a degree of disability equal to or greater than 65% who also do not have sufficient economic resources.
