One-liner: turn your pending unemployment benefit into upfront capital (the pago único) to fund self-employment or a new company — one of the most under-used early-liquidity tools for a founder who is receiving (or entitled to) contributory unemployment benefit. Managed by SEPE (state employment service).
What you get
Three modalities (you can combine them):
- Lump sum for investment — receive part or all of your remaining benefit up front to cover the investment needed to start the activity (equipment, initial costs, share capital).
- Monthly Social-Security subsidy — the remaining benefit is paid monthly to subsidise your autónomo (RETA) contributions while you get going.
- A mix of the two.
- For most founders up to 100% of the pending benefit can be capitalised (the historic 60% cap for general applicants
was removed) — confirm your exact entitlement with SEPE.
#status/verify
Who it's for
- People with a pending contributory unemployment benefit (paro contributivo — not the subsidio) who are going to:
- become autónomo (self-employed), or
- found or join a mercantile company (with an effective control/work role), a cooperative or a sociedad laboral.
- You must not have started the activity yet at the time you apply.
How to apply
- Apply to SEPE BEFORE registering the activity / RETA (the request must precede the start of the activity) — at sepe.es or a SEPE office, with your business/investment plan.
- Choose the modality (investment lump sum, monthly SS subsidy, or mix).
- Once approved, start the activity within 1 month and invest the lump sum in the declared project.
- Stackable with the tarifa plana / cuota reducida RETA and regional aids like LABORA Self-Employment Aid.
Key facts
- Amount = your own remaining benefit (not a new grant) · rolling · national (SEPE). Timing is critical: apply before you start.
Relations
- Run by: SEPE
- See also: LABORA Self-Employment Aid
- See also: EMPYME 2026
- See also: Startup Certification (regulation)