As a self-employed person, you will have to contribute to the Social Security every month from day one. Your autonomo’s social security contribution does not dependent on your revenues but on a theoretical income that you can choose within certain parameters.  Learn all about it.

In other words, autonomos pay social security as if they received a regular salary, similarly to the way companies pay for the social security of their employees.

This reference salary, the contribution base, will be also taken as a base for calculating the pension and other social helps (maternity pay, sick days payment…) that the autonomo may receive in the future. For this reason, choosing the appropriate base wage, and paying accordingly, deserves some thoughts.

Autonomo’s minimum contribution

In 2021 the contribution base wage is within the range from 944,35€ to 3803,70€.

The autonomo’s payment is a percentage of the reference wage. This varies in relation to the coverage included in the national insurance which is compulsory for some types of activities, circumstances, etc…

The social contribution for autonomos with cover against temporary inability (compulsory unless the autonomo is contributing as an employee in another company at the same time and he is already contributing to this concept) is 30,3% of the contribution base.

Therefore, the minimum autonomo’s fee in 2021 is 286.15€ for a person under 47 years old. (it increases with age)

However, there are special reductions for autonomos that register for the first time in the past 2 years and meet other requirements.  A great opportunity to build up the business until full payment of autonomo fee is due.

Of course, the more you pay, more you get.

An autonomo who gets off-sick due to a non-work-related illness and pays the minimum contribution  would received 22€ per day.Should he pay the maximum contribution, he would receive 93€.

 Autonomos who act as Directors/Administrators of limited companies.

These type of autonomos have a minimum contribution base wage of 1214,10€ in 2021, leading to a contribution of 371.51€.