The Spanish Extraordinary Unemployment Subsidy (SED) and how to apply

The Spanish Extraordinary Unemployment Subsidy (Subsidio Extraordinario por Desempleo, SED) is an unemployment subsidy that was created in 2018. It is intended for people who have exhausted their contributory unemployment benefits and who have a family.

SED beneficiaries can receive this payment for a maximum of 6 months. Its amount is 451 euros per month in 2021.

The SED was created in 2018 as an instrument to replace other aid programmes (Plan Prepara or Programa de Activacion para el Empleo, PAE) for unemployed people who have exhausted other benefits.

The first thing to know is that the law does not allow collecting the SED if the worker is active with a part-time contract. In other words, in order to apply for this subsidy, you must be totally unemployed.

However, the law does allow accepting a part-time contract once the SED has begun to be received. In this case, the amount of the subsidy will be reduced proportionally, according to the amount earned.

Who can apply for the SED

1. People with dependents who have exhausted other unemployment benefits. In this case, the application period is 15 days after one month has elapsed since the day the previous subsidy expired. For example, if a person finishes collecting another subsidy or benefit on 31 March, they will have to wait a month (April) and from 1 May they will have 15 business days to apply for the SED. Applicants must have been registered as jobseekers during the waiting month and they cannot have rejected any job or training offer during the waiting period.
2. Long-term unemployed who have been registered as job seekers for at least one year in the 18 months prior to applying and who have exhausted other benefits. In this case there is no maximum application period. But those who have voluntarily left their job will not qualify to receive this aid.

General requirements to receive the SED

• Having dependents: spouse or children under 26 years of age without a monthly income greater than 75% of the Minimum Wage (723.75 euros in 2021). The sum of all the family's income divided by the number of components cannot exceed this amount. People who do not have children or a dependent spouse are not eligible.
• Not having the right to receive other aid, such as contributory unemployment benefits or other subsidies and assistance aids.
• Not having previously received aid from the PAE (Programa de Activacion para el Empleo).
• Not having previously received this same subsidy (SED). The SED can only be requested once for a maximum of 6 months.
• Not having abandoned the last job voluntarily.
• Not having reached the age that allows access the retirement pension, in both its contributory or non-contributory forms.
• Not be working at the time of application.

Documents required to apply for the SED

1. Completed application form. You can safely download it HERE
2. Identity documents (DNI or Passport) of the applicant and of the spouse or dependent children. Nationals of the European Union must also present the certificate of registration as an EU citizen in which the NIE is printed, along with the passport. Citizens of third countries must show the Foreigner Identification Card (Tarjeta de Identificacion de Extranjero, TIE) and the Passport.
3. Bank document in which the account number appears.
4. Family Book (Libro de Familia) or equivalent document if the applicant is a foreign national.
5. Active Search for Employment certificate (certificado de Busqueda Activa de Empleo, BAE).
6. If the applicant has dependent children over 26 years of age with disabilities, provide a disability certificate issued by the INSS, the IMSERSO or the competent body of the autonomous community.

How to apply

The SED can be requested in person at the offices of the State Public Employment Service (Servicio Publico de Empleo Estatal, SEPE), for which it is necessary to request an appointment, or through the SEPE online service.