prestação social única

Published 8 November 2026, 19:36

PSU — prestação social única (single social benefit)

A single payment replacing thirteen benefits from the non-contributory part of social security, which does not depend on contributions paid. It was created by Decreto-Lei 166/2026 of 13 August 2026, with implementing rules in Portaria 394/2026/1 of 27 August, and comes into force on 31 December 2026. It is calculated as follows: the starting point is half the IAS (€268.57 a month at the 2026 IAS), multiplied by the number of "adult equivalents" in the household (the applicant counts as 1, each other adult as 0.7, each minor as 0.5), minus all household income over the previous three months. Earnings up to 20% of the IAS (€107.43) and half of anything above that are not deducted, so that work pays. The cap per household is six times the IAS (€3,222.78 a month), and nothing is paid if the amount comes to less than €10 a month. It is awarded for 12 months and renewed automatically. It is not taxed.

Where you come across it. Social pensions, RSI, social unemployment benefit and parenthood-related social benefits — from 31 December 2026 all of these are replaced by the PSU.

Anyone already receiving one of the thirteen benefits does not need to reapply: they are transferred automatically and keep the same amount. The exception is widows' and orphans' pensions where the widow and orphan live in the same household: these are recalculated under the new formula. Citizens of countries outside the EU and EEA are only entitled after living in Portugal for a year with a valid residence permit. Adults below pension age who are not working must register with the job centre and do unpaid community work — up to 15 hours a week, rising to up to 20 from the third renewal.

Official website: diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/portaria/394-2026-1162304245