Holiday Bonus Payment Schedule for Pensioners
In 2025, pensioners in Spain will once again receive their traditional extra payment for the winter holidays. Although by law all pension disbursements, including bonuses, must be paid at the beginning of the next month, most banks in the country prefer to transfer the funds in advance. This allows seniors to prepare for holiday expenses ahead of Christmas and New Year.
Depending on your chosen bank, the money may be credited to your account on different days. This year, payments will begin as early as November 21 and wrap up by the 26th. For example, clients of Unicaja, Bankinter, and Caja de Ingenieros will be among the first to receive their funds on November 21. At the same time, banks such as BBVA, Ibercaja, Banco Sabadell, Kutxabank, ING, Abanca, and Cajamar plan to process payments on November 25. CaixaBank and Santander have chosen November 24 for their payments, while Caja Rural de Granada will credit accounts on November 25.
Who is eligible for the extra payment
All citizens receiving government pensions—whether for retirement, survivor’s benefits, disability, or for loss of parents—are entitled to this sum, as long as their pensions are paid out in fourteen installments per year. These individuals receive twelve regular and two additional payments—one in summer and one in winter. However, those receiving pensions due to workplace injury or occupational disease get payments only twelve times a year, since their extra amounts are already factored into the monthly payouts.
The amount of the Christmas payment is equal to one full monthly pension, provided the right to it has existed throughout the entire calculation period — from June 1 to November 30. If the pensioner started receiving payments after June 1, the amount will be calculated proportionally to the time elapsed since the pension was granted.
Rules for accrual and payment specifics
The procedure and timing for accrual are regulated by current Spanish legislation. All details, including calculation periods and eligibility terms, are stipulated in the general social security system. It is important to remember that the exact date the funds will be deposited depends on the policy of each bank, so pensioners are advised to check this information in advance at their branch or on the bank’s website.
Therefore, most recipients will be able to access the additional sum as early as the last ten days of November, allowing them to plan their holiday spending without added worries.
