RDL 11/2021: Article 7
Activity cessation benefit compatible with self-employment.
(POECATA IV)
Who is this benefit aimed at?
To those workers who:
- Intend to continue with their professional activity.
- They estimate a bad result in the 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2021.
- Count on a sufficient lack of contingency of cessation of activity.
Previous access requirements:
- Lack of access. It may be understood as fulfilled in two ways:
-
a) Direct access: when there is a minimum of 12 months of contributions at the cessation of continuous activity and immediately prior to the application that have not been taken into account for the recognition of a benefit for cessation of previous activity.
b) Access by extension of the previous benefit: when on May 31, 2021 they were collecting the benefit regulated in art. 7 of Royal Decree-Law 2/2021, of January 26 (POECATA III) and have not yet exhausted the benefit periods provided for in art. 338.1 of the TRLGSS. In these cases they could access POECATA IV, as an extension of the previous POECATA III. - In the case of direct access, not having been a beneficiary of the cessation of ordinary activity benefit in the 18 months prior to the request.
- Be registered in the Special Regime.
- Be up to date with the payment of contributions to the Special Regime (otherwise, the Mutual Fund will invite you to be up to date, within a non-extendable period of 30 days).
- If you have employees in charge, you must be up to date with all labor obligations and social security with your workers.
- Not having the ordinary age and the necessary deficiency to access the retirement benefit.
Conditional access requirements:
- Accredit a reduction in taxable income from self-employed activity in billing in the second and third quarter of 2021 of more than 50% in relation to those in the same period of 2019 (1) .
- Do not obtain during the second and third quarters (2) of 2021 taxable net returns greater than €7,980. (€1,330/month).
(1) To calculate the reduction in income, the period of registration in the 2nd and 3rd er quarter of 2019 will be taken into account and will be compared with the income in the same period of 2021.
(2) In the case of definitively ceasing the activity before September 30, 2021, the limit of €7,980 will be taken proportionally to the duration of the activity (computing in its entirety the month in which the withdrawal from the special regime occurs).
How is compliance with the deficiency requirement calculated to access POECATA IV?
El cumplimiento del requisito de carencia para acceder a la POECATA IV puede darse por dos vías y por tanto su cálculo es diferente según se acceder por uno u otro camino.
Cálculo de la carencia para acceder directamente:
- Sumar las cotizaciones a cese de actividad anteriores al mes en que se devengaría la prestación solicitada (que dependerá de la fecha de presentación de la solicitud). Parar de sumar cuando alguna cotización haya sido computada para el reconocimiento previo de una prestación de cese de actividad ordinario.
- Al valor obtenido se le restarán 12 mensualidades por cada prestación POECATA II o POECATA III de la que haya sido beneficiario el autónomo (0 si no ha sido beneficiario de ninguna, 12 si ha sido beneficiario sólo de una de ellas y 24 si ha sido beneficiario de ambas).
- Si el resultado obtenido es superior a 12 mensualidades de cese de actividad no consumidas se tendrían suficientes cotizaciones CATA para acceder a la POECATA IV directamente (siempre que no se haya sido beneficiario de la prestación de cese ordinario en los 18 meses previos). En caso contrario habría que ver si se cumplen las condiciones para acceder a través de la prórroga.
Cálculo de la carencia para acceder por prórroga:
- Verificar que el 31 de mayo de 2021 estaba percibiendo la prestación POECATA III, en caso contrario no podría acceder nunca por prórroga.
- Sumar las cotizaciones a cese de actividad anteriores al mes en que se inició el devengo de la prestación POECATA III (regulada en el art. 7 RDL 2/2021). Parar de sumar cuando alguna cotización haya sido computada para el reconocimiento previo de una prestación de cese de actividad ordinario.
- Al valor obtenido se le restarán 12 mensualidades si el autónomo también fue beneficiario de la prestación POECATA II y no se restará nada en caso contrario.
- El resultado obtenido permitirá conocer los meses de protección a que se tiene derecho conforme lo previsto en el art. 338.1 del TRLGSS.
|
Listing period (Months) |
Protection period (Months) |
|
From 12 to 17. |
4 |
|
From 18 to 23. |
6 |
|
From 24 to 29. |
8 |
|
From 30 to 35. |
10 |
|
From 36 to 42. |
12 |
|
From 43 to 47. |
16 |
|
From 48 onwards. |
24 |
Si al sumar los meses de protección a la fecha en que se inició el devengo de la prestación POECATA III la fecha de finalización fuera posterior al 1 de junio, se podría acceder a la nueva prestación (POECATA IV) a través de la prórroga de la prestación POECATA III. En caso contrario, no se podría acceder a la POECATA IV.
Desde Fraternidad-Muprespa ponemos a su disposición una herramienta para facilitar la verificación de estos requisitos.
What does the benefit consist of?
This benefit consists of 2 financial aids:
- The payment of one economic benefit (3) . The amount of the benefit will be the same as that received in POECATA III when it is accessed through the extension of this and in case of direct access it will be calculated by applying 70% of the average of the contribution bases of the last 12 months, with the application of the maximum and minimum limits calculated on the IPREM based on the number of dependent children.
- The payment corresponding to the contribution of the fee for common contingencies.
(3) In the case of pluriactivity, that is, that self-employment is being made compatible with work as an employee (if the conditions detailed below are met), the economic benefit will be calculated by applying the 50% of the minimum contribution base for the activity in which the self-employed worker is included (the maximum or minimum limits depending on the number of dependent children do not apply).
Conditions that must be met simultaneously:
- The income from self-employment must not exceed the SMI by 1.25.
- The sum of self-employed and self-employed income does not exceed the SMI by 2.2.
If these limits are exceeded, self-employment will be incompatible with receiving the benefit.
Is there an obligation to continue contributing to Social Security?
Yes. As long as you receive the benefit and remain registered in the Special Regime, you have the obligation to pay all the corresponding contributions (4) enter an ordinary situation.
(4) The fact that this benefit includes help equivalent to the proportional part of the fee that you must pay for common contingencies, does not exonerate you from the obligation to pay it. The aforementioned aid should be understood as “compensation” for the expense that is still required to be made in connection with contributions to the Special Regime.
How long will the benefit last?
The benefit will have a maximum duration of until September 30, 2021, provided that there is no prior cause for termination.
The time of receipt of this benefit will WILL reduce the benefit periods for cessation of ordinary activity to which the beneficiary may be entitled in the future.
What are the incompatibilities with this benefit or the causes of termination?
This benefit is incompatible with:
- Any Social Security benefit that was being received, unless it was compatible with self-employment activity.
- The performance of employed work when the income derived from it exceeds 1.25 times the SMI, or when added to the income derived from self-employment it exceeds 2.2 times the SMI.
- Receive aid for fleet paralysis.
They will cause the termination of the benefit:
- Reach the maximum duration planned for the benefit (September 30, 2021).
- The withdrawal from the Special Social Security Regime.
- Compliance with the ordinary age and the rest of the requirements to access the retirement benefit.
- The death of the beneficiary.
What is the deadline to request this benefit?
This benefit can be requested from June 1, 2021 to August 31, 2021, with the following effects:
- Applications submitted until June 21 (inclusive): will accrue the right to the benefit from June 1.
- Applications submitted after June 22 (inclusive): will accrue the right to the benefit from the 1st of the month following the month of submission of the application.
How can I process my request for access to this benefit?
Can the benefit be waived or withdrawn after having requested it?
Yes, the self-employed person who has requested payment of this benefit can:
- Resign to the benefit at any time before August 31, 2021, with the resignation taking effect the month following its communication.
- Return the benefit on your own initiative for cessation of activity without having to wait for the claim Mutual, when it considers that it has not complied - or will not comply - with the access requirements conditional on the economic result of the first half of 2021.
(*) The annotations in red correspond to clarifications or issues subject to interpretation.


