Rastro de migas
- Home
- Brexit. Citizen's Rights
- Social Security
- How unemployment benefit will be affected
The Withdrawal Agreement will apply to Spanish citizens who carry out their activity in the United Kingdom, as well as to those British citizens who work in Spain, until the date of withdrawal. For all intents and purposes, with the exception of the United Kingdom’s participation in the European institutions, the existence of a transitional period extends the United Kingdom’s effective exit until 31 December 2020.
From that date, the situation will be conditioned upon the outcome of the negotiations on the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union.
In the case of withdrawal with agreement, the Social Security rights will remain unchanged until the end of the transitional period, established for 31 December 2020.
The United Kingdom and Spain will remain competent to manage their social security benefits on the basis of contributions made in their territories, on equal and non-discriminatory terms.
At present, in the chapter on unemployment benefits, the following instruments remain in effect:
Requires working last in the State of residence..
It does not require working last in the State of residence.
The earlier rights will be maintained until the end of the transitional period and for as long as the worker continuously maintains the status of frontier worker..
WHAT IS YOUR SITUATION?
Your benefits will be recognised by the State where you last worked. The Member State where you completed the most recent contribution period will apply the aggregation principle, i.e. it will add up the periods worked in the United Kingdom and Spain. In other words, you will have to apply for unemployment benefits in the country where you last worked and provide the U1 document issued by the country of previous employment.
If you live in one State while working in another State, you will have to claim your benefit in the country in which you maintain your residence. The latter will take into account the contributions you have made in the State of activity as if they had been made in your State of residence.
If you want to look for a job in a country other than the one where you receive your unemployment benefits, you can export these benefits for a certain period of time and under certain conditions.
If no agreement is reached, the person who has been working in the United Kingdom will be entitled to contributory unemployment benefits through the following access systems:
The above apply until the signing of a bilateral or multilateral instrument establishing future relations with the United Kingdom.
WHAT IS YOUR SITUATION?
After the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union, it is important to stress that all Social Security payments, including unemployment benefits, will continue to be paid normally, both in the United Kingdom and in Spain.
If you return and work last in Spain, you will be able to aggregate periods of unemployment insurance in the other countries of the European Union, European Economic Area or Switzerland; in addition, periods in the United Kingdom prior to the date of withdrawal will be taken into account.
Workers residing in Spain who carry out their activity in Gibraltar will be taken into account for periods of unemployment insurance in Gibraltar, both before and after the date of withdrawal.
For more information on the characteristics and procedures of unemployment benefits as well as the documentation you must provide, visit:
For more information for emigrants who have returned to Spain, visit: