Spanish pension spending in Catalonia doubles over 14 years

State expenditure on retirement pensions in Catalonia has doubled over the last 14 years, rising from 970 million euros in 2012 to 1,965 million euros, according to Social Security data. This increase is driven by a 20% rise in the number of pensioners and a 66% growth in the average benefit, partly due to the 2022 policy linking pension revaluation to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Nationally, total pension expenditure rose from 12,816 million euros in 2011 to 25,781 million euros last year. Catalonia receives approximately 18.5% of the total state allocation for pensions, the highest proportion among Spanish regions, followed by Madrid (15.1%) and Andalusia (13.9%).

The rising costs have reignited debates regarding the sustainability of the public system. Recent legislative changes include the replacement of the previous sustainability factor with the Intergenerational Equity Mechanism and the implementation of a solidarity quota for higher earners to ensure purchasing power.