557,437 more National Insurance contributors over last year

November is a transitional month between the summer and the Christmas campaigns and that is reflected in the results. The number of contributors fell by 32,832 (down 0.18%) on the previous month. Some autonomous regions, headed up by the Balearic Islands, have noting the end of the season, with limits that are increasingly diffuse due to the good weather and the drive of the tourism sector. In parallel, the harvest season has now concluded although citrus fruits are yet to be picked, as a result of the torrential rainfall.

In seasonally-adjusted terms, afiliation once again increased in November, up by 22,603, to now post 35 positive months in a row.

Month-on-month change

The number of contributors fell by 32,832 (down 0.18%) on the previous month.

The General Regime posted a fall of 31,353 contributors (down 0.22%), to stand at 14,519,796. Contributor figures rose in education in November, up 25,121 (3.1%); followed by trade and repair of motor vehicle and motorbikes, up 21,150 (0.92%); construction, up 11,066 (1.57%); manufacturing industry, up 8,158 (0.47%) and information and communication, up 3,646 (0.88%).

In contrast, and in line with other months of November, the largest decrease was posted in the hotel and catering industry, down 91,025; followed by declines in agriculture, livestock breeding, hunting, forestry and fisheries, down 4,148, and healthcare activities and the social services sector, down 2,236.

In terms of the Special System for Agricultural Workers, this posted a decline of 9,406 (down 1.22%) to stand at an average of 764,672.

For its part, the Special System for Domestic Workers posted an increase of 1,727 contributors (up 0.41%) to stand at a total of 427,992.

3,193,893 contributors were registered under the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers, following a decline of 366 in November. The Special Regime for Seamen shrank by 1,072 (down 1.65%), to a total of 64,082. Finally, the Special Regime for Coal Workers shrank by 40 (down 1.43%).

The Spanish Social Security system posted increasing numbers in nine territories, headed up by the Region of Valencia, with 27,189 more contributors (1.57%); the Region of Madrid, up 22,036 (0.75%); Andalusia, up 10,583 (0.37%); the Canary Islands, up 6,533 (0.88%); the Region of Murcia, up 6,364 (1.21%); the Basque Country, up 1,826 (0.2%); Melilla, up 183 (0.83%) and Ceuta, up 109 (0.51%).

In contrast, declining numbers were posted in the Balearic Islands (down 72,850); Castile and Leon (down 11,073); Castile La Mancha (down 10,723) and La Rioja (down 4,063).

Comparison with 2015

In year-on-year terms, November closed with an average of 557,437 more contributors (up 3.24%).

This is the largest year-on-year increase since 2005 (a year which saw the mass regularisation of foreigners), and is the second best figure for 2016, only behind October.

Specifically, the General Regime has grown by 572,147, a year-on-year rise of 3.77%.

It should be noted that the year-on-year rate rose by 0.88% under the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers, which translates into an increase of 27,706. The Special Regime for Seamen rose by 5.77% (up 3.43), while the Special Regime for Coal Workers posted a decrease of 913 (down 24.9%).

Compared with last year, the number of workers has increased in all autonomous regions (including the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla). Noteworthy are Catalonia, with 122,870 more members (4.01%); the Region of Madrid, with an increase of 93,504 (up 3.27%); Andalusia, with an increase of 77,773 (up 2.8%); and the Region of Valencia, with an increase of 64,840 (up 3.82%).