Portugal introduces Prestação Social Única social benefit

Portugal has established the Prestação Social Única (PSU), a new non-contributory monthly benefit designed to consolidate 13 existing social protections into a single system. The PSU aims to ensure minimum resources for holders and their households to meet basic needs while promoting social, professional, and community integration.

The benefit replaces various previous supports, including the social unemployment subsidy, social insertion income, and various social pensions for old age, disability, widowhood, and orphanhood. The reference value for the PSU is set at half of the IAS (€268.57), with the final amount varying based on the income and composition of the applicant's household.

To access the PSU, certain requirements must be met. For individuals aged 18 and older who are not working, eligibility depends on being registered as a job seeker, maintaining active availability for employment or professional training, and being available for social solidarity activities. While most beneficiaries are required to perform up to 15 hours of social work per week, young people aged 18 to 25 who are neither working nor studying may be required to complete up to 20 hours per week.