1.- Retirement Pensions:

Workers who retire from work may benefit from the retirement pension if the meet given requirements. The minimum retirement age is 65 years, although it can be lowered to 60 in certain cases. The policy of early forced retirement has also been applied in the context of industrial rationalization of the crisis-ridden sectors, which compensates for the aforementioned reductions. To receive retirement payments, it is necessary to have contributed to the scheme for a minimum period of 15 years, and two of these years must have been among the eight years immediately preceeding retirement.

The amount of the annuity is determined on the basis of the worker's contributions made during the previous eight years, by means of a procedure similar to that used for disability benefits. A sum equivalent to 100% of the salary is received for 35 years or more, and, for those who have contributed for less time, the amount of the pension descends according to a scale, although it can never be less than a minimum annually fixed by the Government. In 1992, there were 2,977,639 retirement pensions being 59,726 Pesetas.

The right to the retirement pension ends due to the death of the pensioner.

2.- Death Allowances.-

The beneficiaries are the person or persons who covered the expenses of the burial. It is assumed that such expenses have been met by the surviving spouse, children or relatives of the deceased who usually lived with him/her, in that order.

No prior period of contribution is needed, and it prescribes 5 years as of the day after the date of the death.

3.- Widow's Pensions.-

A wodow's pension is given to the spose of the deceased. A judment handed down by the Constitutional Court in 1983 put an end to the discrimination regarding the fact that pensions were given exclusively to women, and it decided on a substantial increase in these pensions, that in 1992, reached a total of 1,659,409 in number, with an average monthly payment of 38,019 Pesetas.

Thus, the beneficiary is the widower or widow, provided that there has been marital bond or legal separation or divorce. There are cases in which cohabitation is recorgnized for the purpose of the widow's pension, though in cases prior to and laid down in the Divorce Act.

If the deceased is a worker, he/she is required to be insured or in circumstances resembling insurance and have contributed five hundred days within the five years prior to death, if this is caused by a non-occupational disease. In other circumstances, no prior period of contribution is required.

3.- Orphan's Pensions.-

Orphan benefits are accumulative with those of widows/ers, in the case both parents being dead. In 1992, 166,602 orphans' benefits were paid out, with an average monthly payment of 29,813 pesetas.

Beneficiaries are the children of the deceased under 18 years of age on the date of his/her death, or older handicapped children, whatever their relationship. Also children adopted by the deceased, provided that the adoption took place at least two years prior of the date of his/her death. Finally, children brought into the marriage by the surviving spouse, provided that the marriage took place two years before the date of the death of the deceased, they lived at his/her expense and do not have the right to another social security pension, nor have other relatives who are abloged and able to provide alimony, in accordance with the civil code.

4.- Family Benefits.-

Family benefits are received by close relatives of the deceased, on the condition that they lived with and depend economically upon her/him and find themselves in a position of need, as a consequence of the death. In 1992, there were 27,455 family pensions, with an average monthly payment of 36,069 Pesetas.

5.- Disability Benefits.-

They are granted according to different requirements, and they can be for: - permanent disability, with several degrees of disability: permanent partial incapacity for work in the usual occupation; permanent total incapacity for work in the usual occupation; permanent absolute incapacity for work in any occupation; and severy disability.

• temporary disability: situation of workers who need to continue with health care and cannot return to work after the term of temporary incapacity for work has expired, provided that the disability is not foreseen to be permanent. It occasions suspension of the labour contract and lifts the obligation to contribute to social security, leading to cessation of the worker's insurance.

*** The toal number of pensions of the Spanish social security system was 6,466,238 in 1992. This figure is increasing without interruption and represented in 1990 a proportion of 2.23 contributors per pensioner. This percentage illustrates the financing difficulties of social security, owing to the increased number of pensions.***