Top-ups for low pensions (complemento a mínimos)

Key rules

• Residence: You must live legally in Spain to receive the top-up.
• Income ceiling: Your yearly income from capital and work, excluding the pension, must stay under a ceiling that changes every year.
• Moving abroad: The top-up ends if you move abroad, though your base pension continues.
• Payments: Minimum pensions are paid in 14 instalments a year.

Can a low pension be topped up?

Yes. If your contributory pension is low, Spain can raise it to a minimum amount. This top-up is called the complemento a mínimos. You do not get it automatically in every case. You must meet two conditions: residence and income.

Who qualifies

• You live legally in Spain. The top-up is paid only to people who live in Spain.
• Your other income is under a yearly ceiling. What counts is your annual income from capital and from work, not counting the pension itself. The ceiling is set each year in the State Budget, so it changes.

Does your spouse's income count?

Only if you have a dependent spouse. In that case, the income test takes your spouse into account. If your spouse is not dependent on you, the test looks at you alone.

How much you can get

The minimum amounts for 2026 are set by the Government's annual decree on pension increases. The amount depends on your category:

• retirement at 65 or over, or under 65
• with a dependent spouse
• with a spouse who is not dependent

The pension is paid in 14 instalments a year. Ask the Seguridad Social for the figure that applies to you now, because amounts and the income ceiling are updated every year.

If you move abroad

The top-up stops. It is paid only to people who live in Spain. Your base contributory pension keeps being paid in your new country of residence. You must tell the INSS (the national social security institute) about the move. Ask the INSS about exact timing and any exceptions before you go.

What to do next

1. Ask the Seguridad Social whether your pension is below the minimum for your category.
2. Check the current income ceiling against your own capital and work income.
3. If you have a spouse, find out whether they count as dependent.

The questions below cover the most common doubts.

Frequently asked questions

Do I still get the top-up if I move abroad?

No, the top-up is only paid to people who live in Spain, so moving abroad ends it. Your base contributory pension keeps being paid in the country where you now live.

Does my spouse's income count toward the income limit?

Your spouse's income counts only when you have a dependent spouse. Otherwise the limit looks at your own income from capital and work, not counting the pension itself. That limit is set each year in the State Budget.

Which minimum pension amount applies to me?

The amount depends on your category: retirement over or under 65, with a dependent spouse, or with a spouse who is not dependent. The Government sets the amounts each year by decree. Ask the Seguridad Social which category fits you.