SEPE pago único application — your unemployment benefit as a lump sum to start a business

“Solicitud de pago único” is the official form of Spain’s Public Employment Service (SEPE) to capitalise your contributory unemployment benefit (el paro): you receive the remaining amount in advance to become self-employed or to join a cooperative, a sociedad laboral or a sociedad mercantil as a partner.

The benefit can be paid as a lump sum to invest, as monthly payment of your Social Security contributions, or both. According to the form, if you choose only one of the first two options you cannot ask for the other later. The legal interest rate (interés legal del dinero) is deducted.

• recipients of a contributory unemployment benefit after a permanent job loss with at least three months of benefit left;
• who have not received a pago único in the previous four years;
• the application must come BEFORE the activity starts — the start is the date of registration (alta) with Social Security; if you are already registered as self-employed on the application date, it is refused;
• if you challenged the dismissal in court, apply after the case is decided;
• according to SEPE, you can apply at the SEPE e-office (sede electrónica), at a benefits office by appointment (cita previa), at any public registry, or by post (correo administrativo).

• payment option: lump sum, contributions or both;
• form of activity: self-employed, partner of a sociedad laboral, self-employed partner of a sociedad mercantil, cooperative member — and whether the entity is new;
• personal details: name, two surnames, DNI or NIE, Social Security number, date of birth, sex, nationality; for returning emigrants, countries where they worked;
• home address and, if different, notification address; phones and e-mail;
• bank and IBAN of an account you hold;
• on page 2 — declarations about challenging the dismissal, prior employment with the company and for TRADE; date and signature.

• the signed form;
• ID: Spaniards — DNI or passport; EU citizens — passport or national ID plus registration certificate with NIE; other foreigners — TIE;
• memoria explicativa — a description of the project, investment and activity (SEPE provides a template);
• for a cooperative or company — documents on its formation or on your admission (as listed by SEPE);
• if a representative applies — proof of representation.

After receiving the money you must start the activity within one month and give SEPE proof of the start and of how the amount was invested. If SEPE asks for documents for the application, you have 15 days.

1. Tell the chat in any language what business you are starting and how you want the benefit paid.
2. The assistant fills the boxes in capitals, ticks the right options and splits the IBAN into the boxes.
3. Download the PDF, check it, sign it and file it with SEPE with the memoria explicativa before registering as self-employed.

Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal, page “Capitaliza tu prestación”, the form and its information sheet: sepe.es — Capitaliza tu prestación. Checked 2026-10-09. This is not legal advice.