• Coronavirus. Social Security begins to return to the self-employed the quota from March 14 to 31

The crisis arising from the coronavirus pandemic is directly responsible for the loss of 55,000 self-employed . The Association of Autonomous Workers (ATA) estimates that in the first four months of the year the Special Regime for Autonomous Workers (RETA) lost just over 61,000 contributors, but if the study focuses on the months affected by Covid-19, adds the The president of the federation, Lorenzo Amor, the result is that the net fall in April was about 35,000 self-employed and in April, another 20,000.

"March and April are statistically good months, in which seasonal jobs begin," explains Amor. However, the crisis has not only prevented this increase, but has also significantly reduced the number of contributors in the RETA. Most of the lost self-employed, according to ATA figures, are from the trade sector , although the hospitality industry and industry have also registered notable falls.

To these data must be added the 1.31 million freelancers who have been granted the extraordinary benefit due to cessation of activity or drop in turnover of more than 75%. "Social Security has already recognized more than 1,316,000 self-employed workers the extraordinary benefit for cessation of activity. The figure represents 92% of the more than 1.42 million self-employed workers who have requested it as of May 12 Of this total, only 3.1% have been denied and while the remaining 4.6% is pending, "the Ministry also reported on Thursday.

The aid, recalls the department led by José Luis Escrivá, "involves the exoneration of quotas to Social Security on a temporary basis" and amounts to a minimum amount of 661 euros per month. By sectors, and as ATA confirms in the statistics of loss of contributors, those with the greatest number of beneficiaries are commerce, hospitality and construction, "while the Autonomous Communities with the largest number of recipients are Andalusia, Catalonia and Madrid ".

Refund of fees

The aforementioned exemption from fees, however, did not prevent Social Security from making the charge to all the beneficiaries in March, and an important part of them also in April, since at the time the charge was applied they had not yet recognized the right. The freelancers criticized that the Treasury would not refund the first payment until, at least, May 15, and the Ministry promised to make the return as soon as possible.

A week ago Social Security began to make these payments, and according to the latest data " the General Treasury has already returned the corresponding part of the March quotas of 272,749 self-employed workers who had then been granted the benefit." "The amount of the refund amounts to 44.7 million euros. In the coming weeks, returns will also be made for the April prices to those who were recognized after the collection order was made," they added.

In accordance with the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Freelancers
  • Covid 19
  • Coronavirus

Coronavirus crisis The ruin of the self-employed: More than 550 do not even arrive in April and 12,500 are in ERTE only in the province of Castellón

Coronavirus Almost a million self-employed today receive unemployment benefits for a minimum amount of 661 euros

Covid-19Amor (ATA) responds to Escrivá's accusations: "I saw nine ministers pass by, I will also see him pass by"