How Can I Check When My Pension Will Be Paid In Spain?

In both countries the payment follows a fixed rule, not a calendar that is published each year, so what follows applies whatever the year. This guide explains both rules and shows where to check your own payment.

When is the Spanish state pension paid?

Spanish state pensions are paid in arrears: each payment covers the month that has just ended, in the same way as a salary. The rule is written into the Social Security’s financial regulation (Real Decreto 696/2018, article 24). The money must be available in your account on the first working day of the month in which it is paid, and never later than the fourth calendar day of that month.

In practice most pensioners see the money sooner. The Seguridad Social’s own guide explains that the pensioner’s bank often brings the payment forward, and that the pension normally reaches the account between the 22nd and the 26th of each month. The exact day is your bank’s choice. It differs from one bank to another, it can change from month to month, and it is not guaranteed. If you need a date you can rely on, plan around the official one: the first working day of the following month.

The two extra payments in June and November

Spanish state pensions are paid in 14 instalments a year: one for each month, plus an extra payment (paga extraordinaria) that arrives together with the June pension and another with the November pension. Each extra payment is the same amount as a normal month, provided you held the pension for the whole six months before it (December to May for the June payment, June to November for the November one). If your pension started part of the way through, the first extra payment is one sixth for each month you held it.

The exception is a pension that comes from an accident at work or an occupational disease. These are paid in 12 instalments, because the extra payments are already spread across the monthly amounts.

Your very first payment may also be smaller than you expect. If the pension does not begin on the first day of a month, that first month is paid in proportion to the days it covers.

How to check your Spanish pension payment

The quickest check is your bank. The payment shows on your statement or online banking on the day the bank pays it in, and your branch can tell you which day it normally uses. You are free to choose which bank receives your pension.

On the Seguridad Social side, pensions are handled by the Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (INSS) through its pensions and benefits portal, which also leads to your personal area, called Tu Seguridad Social. You identify yourself with Cl@ve or a digital certificate. On the portal you can:

• download a certificate of the pension you receive and its amount (Certificado de prestaciones individual);
• change the bank account your pension is paid into (Modificar los datos bancarios del pensionista);
• change your address (Modificar los datos de domicilio del pensionista);
• follow a pension claim that has not been decided yet (Consultar el estado de una solicitud).

If you move your pension to a different bank, make sure the Seguridad Social has the new account before you close the old one. Most Spanish banks can pass the change on for you when you open the new account.

When is the UK State Pension paid if you live in Spain?

If you live in Spain, your UK State Pension is looked after by the International Pension Centre, part of the UK’s Pension Service. You can choose to be paid every 4 weeks or every 13 weeks. If your State Pension is under £5 a week, it is paid once a year, in December.

Because a 4-weekly payment is not a monthly payment, the date falls a little earlier each calendar month, and you receive 13 payments in a year, not 12. In the UK, the day of the week depends on the last two digits of your National Insurance number: 00 to 19 is Monday, 20 to 39 Tuesday, 40 to 59 Wednesday, 60 to 79 Thursday and 80 to 99 Friday. GOV.UK says that different rules apply to people who live abroad, so if you are not sure which day yours is due, ask the International Pension Centre.

The pension can be paid into a bank in Spain or into a bank or building society in the UK. If it goes to a Spanish account, it is usually converted into euros at the exchange rate at the time of conversion, and GOV.UK states that a conversion charge of 0.39% is taken before payment. The amount that arrives in euros therefore changes from one payment to the next.

Two things can delay a payment. If it is due in the same week as a public holiday in the United States, it can arrive one day late, because a US company processes payments sent abroad. If your payment date falls on a public or bank holiday in Spain, it may also be delayed. Spain has national, regional and local holidays, so look at the calendar for your own town.

How to check or change your UK State Pension payment

Your bank statement is the quickest way to see when a payment arrived. For anything else, contact the International Pension Centre, whose current contact details are on GOV.UK. General questions can be sent through its online enquiry form. A change of address or of bank details is different: it must be reported by phone or in writing, not by email or through the online form.

From time to time the Department for Work and Pensions sends a ‘life certificate’ form to pensioners who live abroad, to confirm that they are still entitled. It has to be signed by a witness and sent back. Payments may be suspended if the form is not returned, so it is worth checking for one if a UK payment stops without warning. The full rules are in the GOV.UK guide to the State Pension if you retire abroad.

How to claim a UK State Pension from Spain and how it is taxed are covered in our guide to getting your UK pension in Spain.

Not retired yet? Check your contributions

From 1 January 2027 the ordinary retirement age in Spain is 67, or 65 for anyone with at least 38 years and 6 months of contributions, and our guide on how to claim a pension in Spain explains who qualifies and how to apply.

Having a clear awareness of the time remaining until you can access your pension in Spain, alongside critical details like your social security contribution base and the total amount paid in, plays a pivotal role in effective future planning and ensuring seamless access to your pension funds.

For those who have lived and worked in Spain for a considerable number of years and have been paying social security contributions during that time, you may be curious about the duration remaining before you can indeed access your pension.

In Spain, it is very common for employees to depend on their employers when it comes to social security contributions, trusting them to prioritise their best interests. However, occasional errors by employers in handling these contributions correctly could mean that not all working hours contribute to an individual's pension.

For this reason, it is essential to stay aware of your contributions and know how much time is left until you qualify for a pension, especially for self-employed individuals in Spain.

Self-employed individuals in Spain, who often contribute less on average to their pensions, tend to be more conscious of their pension status. They may be familiar with the ‘Informe de Vida Laboral’, which is a report that lets people track their working history and the number of days of contributions they have built up.

What is the Informe de Vida Laboral?

The ‘Informe de Vida Laboral’ is a comprehensive document maintained by Spain's social security system, including all periods of contributions made by an individual to the Spanish Social Security system. This report serves as a storehouse of information regarding an individual's entire working life in Spain, including details that can be crucial when claiming pensions abroad, especially within the European Union.

To obtain your ‘Informe de Vida Laboral’, you can access the Social Security portal, called Import@ss and run by the Social Security Treasury (TGSS). The report sets out your work history: each employer or period of self-employment, the dates, whether the work was full-time or part-time, and the number of days you have paid in. It does not give your retirement date or the amount of your pension. For those, use the retirement simulator (Simulador de pensión de jubilación) in Tu Seguridad Social.

Accessing the report is a straightforward process, offering multiple options including:

Via SMS: If you've registered your mobile number with the Social Security system, you can request a code via SMS, allowing you to print or consult the report on your computer or phone simultaneously.

Via digital certificate: Individuals with a digital certificate installed on their devices can download the report directly upon logging in.

Without a digital certificate: By providing your Social Security number, Spanish ID number (DNI or NIE), and registered address, you can request the report. It is sent by post to your home address, which must match the one the Social Security holds for you, and you receive an email updating you on the request status.

Via Username + Password (Cl@ve): Generating a password requires an activation code obtainable at any Cl@ve Registry Office. With the code, you can print or consult the report through your computer. You can also register for the Cl@ve online.

This proactive approach empowers individuals to stay informed about their pension status, facilitating effective retirement planning and ensuring a smoother process when accessing pension funds.

Summary

A Spanish state pension is due on the first working day of each month and no later than the 4th, and most banks pay it early, usually between the 22nd and the 26th of the month before. Extra payments arrive with the June and November pensions. A UK State Pension paid in Spain arrives every 4 or 13 weeks and can be delayed around public holidays. To check a payment, look at your bank’s online services first, then go to the Seguridad Social for a Spanish pension or the International Pension Centre for a UK one.

The amounts are reviewed every year, in January in Spain and in April in the UK, but the payment rules stay the same. For the figures, see our article on the latest pension increases.

For further details, visit the official Social Security website or consult your bank’s customer service for the latest information.

The Seguridad Social has also published a guide with a video on getting your Informe de Vida Laboral (in Spanish).

Thinking about later life? Read our guide to healthy ageing and cover after 60 in the Health Library.