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Grants and subsidies for the self-employed: what exists and how to apply

As a self-employed person you can apply for reductions in your Social Security contributions: the reduced contribution when you start and, if you hire someone so you can balance work and family life, a 100% rebate on the common contingencies contribution for up to 12 months. There are also rebates if you hire certain people, and grants with calls from your regional government. And for the European Union, a self-employed person with an economic activity is an enterprise: they can qualify for SME grants when the call admits individuals.

Source: Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003, annex, art. 1 (2026-11-14) · Law 20/2007 of 11 July, Self-Employed Workers' Statute, art. 38 ter (2026-11-14) · Law 20/2007, Self-Employed Workers' Statute, art. 30 (2026-11-14) · Royal Decree-law 1/2023 of 10 January, art. 7 (2026-11-14) · IDAE, Which actions are eligible for a grant. PREE terciario (2026-11-14)

What kinds of grants are there for the self-employed

For the European Union, an enterprise is any entity engaged in an economic activity, whatever its legal form. That includes craft activities and those carried out on an individual or family basis (Recommendation 2003/361/EC, annex, art. 1). That is why a self-employed person counts as a business in many calls.

Also, a micro-enterprise is one that employs fewer than 10 people and whose annual turnover or annual balance sheet does not exceed €2 million (Recommendation 2003/361/EC, annex, art. 2.3). Most self-employed people fall into that category, so you can apply for SME grants as long as the call admits individuals. That detail is in the beneficiaries section of the call's rules.

Grants come through several routes. At national level there are reductions and rebates on contributions, which are handled with Social Security and do not depend on a call. Regional governments often offer grants to help you set up, consolidate your business or hire. Provincial councils and town councils issue local grants for shops and business activity. And there are sector lines: under PREE terciario, the energy-efficiency programme, self-employed owners of buildings or premises are among the possible recipients, depending on each regional call.

Source: Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003, annex, art. 1 (2026-11-14) · Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC, annex, art. 2 (2026-11-14) · IDAE, Which actions are eligible for a grant. PREE terciario (2026-11-14)

Discounts on your Social Security contributions

These are the most accessible grants for anyone starting out or needing to balance work and family. This is what the Self-Employed Workers' Statute says:

  • Reduced contribution when you start: if it is your first registration or you were not registered in the previous 2 years, you pay a reduced contribution for the following 12 full calendar months. Its amount is set by the State Budget Act (Law 20/2007, art. 38 ter).
  • You can keep the reduced contribution for another 12 months if your annual net income is below the minimum interprofessional wage (art. 38 ter).
  • Work-family balance: if you care for a child under 12 or a dependent relative, or one with a disability, up to second degree, you are entitled for up to 12 months to a 100% rebate on the contribution for common contingencies. The condition is to hire an employee and keep them for at least 3 months. If the contract is part-time, the rebate is 50% (art. 30).
  • If that contract ends, you keep the rebate if you hire someone else within a maximum of 30 days. If you do not keep the job for at least 3 months or replace the employee, you have to repay what was rebated (art. 30.2).
  • Capitalising your unemployment benefit: if you receive the contributory unemployment benefit and are going to set up as self-employed, up to 100% of its present value can be paid out. The application must be dated before the activity starts (art. 34).

Source: Law 20/2007 of 11 July, Self-Employed Workers' Statute, art. 38 ter (2026-11-14) · Law 20/2007, Self-Employed Workers' Statute, art. 30 (2026-11-14) · Law 20/2007, Self-Employed Workers' Statute, art. 30 (2026-11-14) · Law 20/2007, Self-Employed Workers' Statute, art. 34 (2026-11-14)

If you hire your first employee

Hiring also opens the door to rebates. Before signing a contract, it is worth checking whether the person belongs to a group that qualifies for them.

  • Self-employed workers can benefit from the hiring incentives in Royal Decree-law 1/2023, just like companies (art. 7.1).
  • For example: hiring on a permanent contract an unemployed person registered for at least 12 months within the previous 18 gives a rebate of €110/month for 3 years, or €128/month if the person is a woman or aged 45 or over (art. 21).
  • You cannot hire your spouse or relatives up to second degree with a rebate (art. 11.1.b).
  • For permanent contracts with a rebate, you must keep the person registered with Social Security for at least 3 years (art. 9.1).

Source: Royal Decree-law 1/2023 of 10 January, art. 7 (2026-11-14) · Royal Decree-law 1/2023, art. 21 (2026-11-14) · Royal Decree-law 1/2023, arts. 9 and 11 (2026-11-14)

Requirements that come up again and again

Each call has its own rules, but some conditions appear almost every time. Go through them before starting on the paperwork:

  • Be registered in the activity you are applying for the grant for. The call's rules say which activities are admitted.
  • Be up to date with the tax authorities, with Social Security and with any repayments due, and not be insolvent or banned from receiving grants as a penalty (Ley 38/2003, art. 13.2).
  • Tax debts that are deferred, paid in instalments or with enforcement suspended, and deferred Social Security debts, do not count as debt for these purposes (Royal Decree 887/2006, arts. 18 and 19).
  • If the grant is de minimis aid, the total de minimis aid received by a single enterprise cannot exceed €300,000 in any 3-year period (Regulation (EU) 2023/2831, art. 3.2).
  • The expense must relate to the subsidised activity, be necessary, be incurred within the period set by the call's rules and not exceed market value (Ley 38/2003, art. 31.1).

Source: Ley 38/2003 of 17 November, General Grants Law, art. 13 (2026-11-14) · Royal Decree 887/2006 of 21 July, Regulation of the General Grants Law, arts. 18 and 19 (2026-11-14) · Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2831 of 13 December 2023 on de minimis aid (2026-11-14) · Ley 38/2003, General Grants Law, art. 31 (2026-11-14)

How and where to submit them

As an individual you can choose at any time whether to deal with the Administration online or on paper, unless you are required to use the electronic route (Ley 39/2015, art. 14). Companies and entities without legal personality are required to. In practice, many calls are submitted through the online portal of the body that issues the call, with a digital certificate.

If someone else submits the application for you, they must prove that they represent you. This can be done, for example, with a power of attorney granted apud acta at the online portal or registered in the electronic register of powers of attorney (Ley 39/2015, arts. 5 and 6).

Keep your registration, your certificates of being up to date, your invoices and your proofs of payment to hand. If the application is incomplete, the Administration will ask you to complete it within 10 days and will warn you that, if you do not, you will be deemed to have withdrawn (art. 68). That is why it is worth checking the call's list of documents before you submit.

Source: Ley 39/2015 of 1 October, Common Administrative Procedure, art. 14 (2026-11-14) · Ley 39/2015, arts. 5 and 6 (2026-11-14) · Ley 39/2015, art. 68 (2026-11-14)

Common mistakes that knock an application out

Many applications fail not because of the project, but because of details. These are the ones most worth watching:

  • Paying in cash an expense that the call's rules require you to justify by transfer or card. The expense has to be demonstrable and match what the rules say (Ley 38/2003, art. 31.1).
  • Having a small debt with the tax authorities or Social Security that is not deferred on the day it counts. That is enough to not be up to date (Ley 38/2003, art. 13.2).
  • Applying for a grant for an activity other than the one you are registered in.
  • Deregistering before the minimum period the call's rules require. Failing to meet the commitments taken on with the award is grounds for repayment, as is insufficient justification (Ley 38/2003, art. 37.1).
  • Confusing the publication date of the call with the start of the application period. The period starts when the summary notice says so, so read it carefully.

Source: Ley 38/2003, General Grants Law, art. 31 (2026-11-14) · Ley 38/2003 of 17 November, General Grants Law, art. 13 (2026-11-14) · Ley 38/2003, General Grants Law, art. 37 (2026-11-14)

What Aupamos does for the self-employed

If you have a specific grant in mind, this is how we work:

  • If one interests you, the eligibility check is free and we reply within 48 hours on working days from when we receive your complete details.
  • We only charge if you get paid: 15% + VAT of the amount awarded up to €20,000 and 10% + VAT from €20,000 to €100,000. There is no advance payment. You pay it when you receive the grant.
  • Whoever submits the application on your behalf must prove they represent you, for example with a power of attorney granted apud acta or one registered in the electronic register of powers of attorney (Ley 39/2015, arts. 5 and 6).

Source: Vera Senses S.L., owner of aupamos.com (Aitor, 2026-11-14) (2026-11-14) · Vera Senses S.L., owner of aupamos.com (Aitor, 2026-11-14) (2026-11-14) · Ley 39/2015, arts. 5 and 6 (2026-11-14)

Frequently asked questions

Does a self-employed person count as an SME for grants?

Under the European definition, yes: an enterprise is anyone engaged in an economic activity, including on an individual basis. But each call says whether it admits individuals, so always check the beneficiaries section of the call's rules.

Source: Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003, annex, art. 1 (2026-11-14)

Do I need a digital certificate?

As an individual you can choose paper, unless you are required to use the electronic route. If someone else submits for you, they must prove they represent you, for example with a power of attorney granted apud acta or one registered in the electronic register of powers of attorney.

Source: Ley 39/2015 of 1 October, Common Administrative Procedure, art. 14 (2026-11-14) · Ley 39/2015, arts. 5 and 6 (2026-11-14)

Can I apply for grants if I have a debt with the tax authorities?

Not while you are not up to date: it is one of the prohibitions in the General Grants Law. Tax debts that are deferred, paid in instalments or with enforcement suspended do not count as debt, according to its Regulation.

Source: Ley 38/2003 of 17 November, General Grants Law, art. 13 (2026-11-14) · Royal Decree 887/2006 of 21 July, Regulation of the General Grants Law, arts. 18 and 19 (2026-11-14)

Can I capitalise my unemployment benefit to start as self-employed?

The managing body can pay out up to 100% of the present value of the contributory unemployment benefit to anyone setting up as self-employed. However, you have to apply before starting the activity.

Source: Law 20/2007, Self-Employed Workers' Statute, art. 34 (2026-11-14)

How much do you charge to handle a grant application?

We only charge if the grant is awarded and you get paid: 15% + VAT of the amount awarded up to €20,000 and 10% + VAT from €20,000 to €100,000. There is no advance payment. You pay it when you receive the grant. The prior eligibility check is free.

Source: Vera Senses S.L., owner of aupamos.com (Aitor, 2026-11-14) (2026-11-14) · Vera Senses S.L., owner of aupamos.com (Aitor, 2026-11-14) (2026-11-14)

What happens if my application is incomplete?

The Administration asks you to complete it within 10 days and warns you that, if you do not, you will be deemed to have withdrawn. That is why it is worth going over the call's list of documents before you submit.

Source: Ley 39/2015, art. 68 (2026-11-14)

Sources

  • An enterprise is any entity, regardless of its legal form, that carries out an economic activity, in particular those carrying out a craft activity or other activities on an individual or family basis (Recommendation 2003/361/EC, annex, art. 1). (Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003, annex, art. 1, 2026-11-14)
  • A micro-enterprise is one that employs fewer than 10 people and whose annual turnover or annual balance sheet total does not exceed €2 million (Recommendation 2003/361/EC, annex, art. 2.3). (Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC, annex, art. 2, 2026-11-14)
  • Anyone registering as self-employed for the first time, or who was not registered in the previous 2 years, pays a reduced contribution for the following 12 full calendar months, with the amount set in the State Budget Act; they can continue for 12 more months if their annual net income is below the minimum interprofessional wage (Law 20/2007, art. 38 ter). (Law 20/2007 of 11 July, Self-Employed Workers' Statute, art. 38 ter, 2026-11-14)
  • A self-employed person who cares for children under 12 or a dependent relative, or one with a disability, up to second degree is entitled, for up to 12 months, to a 100% rebate on the contribution for common contingencies, conditional on hiring an employee and keeping them for at least 3 months; if the contract is part-time, the rebate is 50% (Law 20/2007, art. 30). (Law 20/2007, Self-Employed Workers' Statute, art. 30, 2026-11-14)
  • If the employment relationship ends, the self-employed person keeps the work-family balance rebate if they hire someone else within a maximum of 30 days; if they do not keep the job for at least 3 months or replace the employee, they must repay what was rebated (Law 20/2007, art. 30.2). (Law 20/2007, Self-Employed Workers' Statute, art. 30, 2026-11-14)
  • The managing body can pay out up to 100% of the present value of the contributory unemployment benefit to anyone setting up as self-employed; the application must be dated before the activity starts (Law 20/2007, art. 34). (Law 20/2007, Self-Employed Workers' Statute, art. 34, 2026-11-14)
  • The hiring incentives in Royal Decree-law 1/2023 can benefit companies and other employers, self-employed workers and worker-owned companies or cooperatives (art. 7.1). (Royal Decree-law 1/2023 of 10 January, art. 7, 2026-11-14)
  • Hiring unemployed people on permanent contracts, who have been registered for at least 12 months within the previous 18, entitles the employer to a rebate of €110/month for 3 years, or €128/month if the person is a woman or aged 45 or over (art. 21). (Royal Decree-law 1/2023, art. 21, 2026-11-14)
  • Hiring the employer's spouse and relatives up to second degree is excluded from the incentives (art. 11.1.b); for permanent contracts with a rebate, the person must be kept registered with Social Security for at least 3 years (art. 9.1). (Royal Decree-law 1/2023, arts. 9 and 11, 2026-11-14)
  • Under PREE terciario, the possible recipients, depending on each regional call, are individuals carrying out an economic activity (self-employed) who own buildings or premises, and companies that operate or lease them. (IDAE, Which actions are eligible for a grant. PREE terciario, 2026-11-14)
  • The total amount of de minimis aid granted by a Member State to a single enterprise cannot exceed €300,000 over any period of 3 years (Regulation (EU) 2023/2831, art. 3.2). (Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2831 of 13 December 2023 on de minimis aid, 2026-11-14)
  • The following, among others, cannot be beneficiaries of grants: persons or entities that are insolvent, have been convicted or penalised with loss of the right to grants, or are not up to date with the tax authorities, Social Security or any repayments due (Ley 38/2003, art. 13.2). (Ley 38/2003 of 17 November, General Grants Law, art. 13, 2026-11-14)
  • For the purposes of being up to date, tax debts that are deferred, paid in instalments or with enforcement suspended do not count as debt, nor do deferred Social Security debts (Royal Decree 887/2006, arts. 18 and 19). (Royal Decree 887/2006 of 21 July, Regulation of the General Grants Law, arts. 18 and 19, 2026-11-14)
  • Eligible expenses are those that unmistakably relate to the subsidised activity, are strictly necessary and are incurred within the period set by the call's rules; their cost cannot exceed market value (Ley 38/2003, art. 31.1). (Ley 38/2003, General Grants Law, art. 31, 2026-11-14)
  • Repayment is due, among other cases, for total or partial failure to meet the objective or the activity, for insufficient justification or for failure to meet the commitments taken on with the award (Ley 38/2003, art. 37.1). (Ley 38/2003, General Grants Law, art. 37, 2026-11-14)
  • Individuals can choose at any time whether or not to deal with the Administrations by electronic means, unless they are required to; legal persons and entities without legal personality are required to (Ley 39/2015, art. 14). (Ley 39/2015 of 1 October, Common Administrative Procedure, art. 14, 2026-11-14)
  • To submit applications on behalf of another person, you must prove that you represent them, for example with a power of attorney granted apud acta at the online portal or registered in the electronic register of powers of attorney (Ley 39/2015, arts. 5 and 6). (Ley 39/2015, arts. 5 and 6, 2026-11-14)
  • If the application is incomplete, the applicant is asked to correct it within 10 days, with a warning that if they do not, they will be deemed to have withdrawn (Ley 39/2015, art. 68). (Ley 39/2015, art. 68, 2026-11-14)
  • Handling is charged only if the grant is awarded and paid: 15% + VAT of the amount awarded up to €20,000 and 10% + VAT from €20,000 to €100,000; there is no advance payment, and the client pays it on receiving the grant (declared by the owner). (Vera Senses S.L., owner of aupamos.com (Aitor, 2026-11-14), 2026-11-14)
  • The eligibility check is free and is answered within 48 hours on working days from when the complete details are received (declared by the owner). (Vera Senses S.L., owner of aupamos.com (Aitor, 2026-11-14), 2026-11-14)

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