At a glance
- On 28 May 2025, a Royal Decree was issued establishing the procedure for early retirement within the Social Security system through the application of reduction coefficients.
- An increase in Social Security contributions will apply to occupations eligible for early retirement under this new framework.
The Spanish government has introduced a new Royal Decree, aimed at regulating early retirement for workers in exceptionally arduous, toxic, dangerous, or unhealthy conditions. This decree follows recommendations from the 2020 Toledo Pact evaluation and the 2021 law on pension sustainability.
It applies to employees and self-employed workers in specific professions with high morbidity or mortality rates, excluding those already covered by other early retirement regulations. To qualify for retirement age reduction coefficients, an activity must go through a specific process that includes the following steps:
- Initiated jointly by representative business and labour organisations.
- Requires electronic submission and detailed identification of affected professions.
- Involves morbidity and mortality reports, and assessments by various government bodies.
- Includes a review every ten years to ensure the relevance of reduction coefficients.
If a profession in considered exceptionally arduous, toxic, dangerous, or unhealthy for the purpose of early retirement, the early retirement cannot be granted before age 52. It requires additional Social Security contributions for affected workers and early retirement cannot be combined with continuing the same hazardous work.
Finally, the status of the profession as exceptionally arduous, toxic, dangerous, or unhealthy for the purpose of early retirement will be reviewed every ten years to ensure they remain relevant based on scientific and technological advancements. This mean that if work conditions improve, the reduction coefficients may be adjusted or removed.
This new regulation aims to balance the financial sustainability of the Social Security system while addressing the needs of workers in high-risk professions.
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