Most requests for unemployment benefits for self-employed workers are rejected.

BarcelonaThe unemployment benefit is the equivalent of unemployment benefits for the self-employed. When a self-employed person is forced to close their business, they have the option of receiving a monthly amount calculated based on the regulatory base on which they have paid contributions. In Catalonia, 2,557 applications for this benefit were submitted in 2024, primarily from the retail and hospitality sectors. However, 60% of the applications were rejected, according to the report. Self-employment situation in Catalonia presented this Wednesday by the Catalan Labour, Economic and Social Council (CTESC). On the other hand, at the state level, the number of applications granted exceeds the number of unfavorable ones. According to this same study, in 2024 the number of self-employed people in Catalonia decreased by 6.6% compared to the previous year.

For this advisory body of the Generalitat, which also includes Catalan unions and employers' associations, this fact "highlights the difficulty of access" to the so-called unemployment of the self-employed and increases the group's vulnerability. But why are most applications rejected? According to the CTESC (Centre for Social Security and Social Security), in 71% of cases the reason is a lack of accreditation of the requirements. Regarding the remaining reasons, 21.1% of the negative resolutions were for other unspecified reasons, 5.5% because they have not completed the full contribution period, and 2.4% because the applicants are not up to date with their contributions.

In fact, although in Catalonia the majority of applications are denied, these subsidies increased by 29% compared to 2023 and stood at 1,148 benefits. Although the conditions for accessing the benefit have been expanded, the CTESC considers that the number of unfavorable resolutions regarding the aid is still "very high." For this reason, the organization says the benefit is not working properly and calls for a review of the requirements and a simplification of the access procedure. "That's just the tip of the iceberg of vulnerabilities," said its president, Ciriaco Hidalgo, during the presentation of the report. The objective of the latest reforms has been, precisely, to bring social protection for the self-employed into line with that of salaried workers, but the reality is that the self-employed are even more unprotected when they cannot perform their work.

What is required to collect the unemployment benefit?

According to the state public employment service (SEPE), to receive this benefit, you must be registered with the Social Security system for self-employed workers, have paid contributions for cessation of activity (now mandatory), be up to date with your self-employed contributions, have completed the cessation of activity contribution period 1 as required by law (serious economic loss, force majeure, loss of license, etc.), and not yet have reached retirement age. The duration of the benefit depends on the length of contributions: for example, between 12 and 17 months entitles you to four months of benefits; while those who complete more than 48 months can receive the benefit for two years.

Within the general reduction in the number of self-employed workers in Catalonia, this drop has been more pronounced among women (-9.3%) than among men (-5.1%). Women represent almost 35% of the self-employed. Furthermore, this decline has affected people between 40 and 54 years of age the most, with a drop of 12.3%. "Generational change is a challenge for this group, despite the new additions," explained the report's rapporteur, Carlos Mas Lloveras, who is also director of the economics and business department of the employers' association Pimec. The 7.8% increase among foreigners who have registered as self-employed This is what has offset this downward trend, especially among people from outside the EU (+8.5%).

In conclusion, the CTESC report points to "a structural vulnerability in terms of social protection, economic stability, and access to resources" among the self-employed and recommends, among other things, simplifying the administrative procedures they are required to complete, strengthening financing and access to aid, and adapting regulations to the new realities of the world of work.