Self-Employed Pension 38.2% Below Salaried Workers

Wide Pension Gap for Self-Employed

Self-employed workers in Catalonia receive an average retirement pension of €1,063 per month, 38.2% less than the €1,720.60 received by salaried workers, according to the Situació del treball autònom a Catalunya 2025 report published today by the Consell de Treball, Econòmic i Social de Catalunya (CTESC). The report confirms that despite retiring later, at an average age of 66.5, 1.4 years later than salaried workers, autonomous workers face significantly lower pensions due to historically lower contribution bases under Spain’s social security system.

Contributions and Demographics

At the end of 2025, there were 574,315 self-employed workers registered with Social Security in Catalonia, a 1.1% increase from 2024. However, this growth lags behind that of salaried workers, whose affiliations rose by 2.1%, causing the share of self-employed workers to fall slightly to 14.9% of total employment. The CTEC highlights a changing profile among the self-employed: 107,511 (15.7%) were foreign nationals in 2025, with two-thirds coming from non-EU countries. Foreign self-employed workers are concentrated in coastal and urban areas, including Barcelonès, Garraf, Selva, and Tarragonès.

Gender and Sector Gaps

Women make up 36.9% of the self-employed workforce. Their average contributory pension was €807.30, 27.2% less than their male counterparts (€1,109.30). The gender gap in retirement pensions among the self-employed (23.3%) remains lower than in the general regime (32.7%). The sectoral distribution shows that 78.5% of self-employed workers operate in services, with 34.7% active in commerce and hospitality.

The report calls for deeper assessment of the contribution system, improved information on contribution trajectories, and better retirement planning support for self-employed workers.

Albert Ferrer, the report’s lead author, noted the rising proportion of foreign entrepreneurs and called for targeted support, including advisory services to help self-employed workers integrate artificial intelligence into their businesses. The CTEC urges policymakers to review gaps in contributions and strengthen retirement protections for autonomous workers, warning that current contribution levels risk long-term financial insecurity in retirement.

Primary sources: ctesc.gencat.cat, observatoritreball.gencat.cat. Reported by Diari de Girona, viaempresa.cat.