When you think about what children can add to the pension, it is worth knowing that there are two different supplements and each works with its own rules. Alfonso Muñoz, a social security official, explained this in a YouTube video, and his first caveat is: “All pensions, created before 2016, are not entitled to these supplements if requested.”
Three steps depending on the date. From there, Muñoz distinguishes periods that must be taken into account. “With pensions recognized between 2016 and 2021, both men and women can be entitled to the maternity supplement starting with the second child. And from 2021, both men and women can be entitled to the gender gap supplement starting with one child,” he explained. Therefore, the information sent is the date on which the pension was generated and not the date of application.
Percentage to specified amount. The way money is calculated also changes a lot from one model to another. “There are two complements and each has its own rules,” says Munoz. The maternity benefit came into effect on January 1, 2016 for those who built up their pension from that year and was paid as a percentage from the second child onwards: 5% with two children, 10% with three and 15% with four or more.
The second one, the so-called Gender Gap Supplement, arrived in February 2021 with Royal Decree-Law 3/2021 and replaced the previous one. “This supplement is from the first child and a fixed amount is paid,” he added. Furthermore, Social Security states in its Management Criteria 12/2025 that, following the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) of May 15, 2025, this supplement must apply to men under the same conditions as to women.
Father and mother, between 2016 and 2021. Another part of his intervention addressed whether payments could be made to both parents at the same time. In the case of the maternity supplement, Muñoz recalled that “it was designed so that only women could collect it” and therefore, “the law did not establish incompatibility between both parents.” “Hence, if both parents generate pension between 2016 and 2021, both parents can collect maternity supplement,” he said.
Only one from 2021. Now, the situation of filling the gender gap is very different. “The gender gap supplement establishes incompatibility between both parents. Therefore, if the request of both one parent and the other is approved for the pension starting in 2021, in that case, only one of them will be able to receive it,” Munoz clarified.
When both conditions are met, according to the same social security criteria, the supplement corresponds to the parent whose pension, or the sum of the public pension, is lower.
Picture | Alfonso Munoz
Genbetay The Treasury ensures that over-65s can pass on their habitual residence to their children without paying personal income tax on the gain.
