Portugal Launches Unified Social Benefit Reform

The Portuguese government has approved a reform that consolidates 13 existing non‑contributory social supports into a single instrument, the Prestação Social Única (Unified Social Benefit). The new system will assess beneficiaries based on household income and assets and will continue to cover groups such as children, the elderly, persons with disabilities and caregivers, while active adults without employment will be required to contribute up to 15 hours per week of social or community work. The measure aims to simplify access, improve coordination among municipalities, employment services and health agencies, and encourage labour‑market reintegration without penalising those who return to work. A transition period guarantees that current recipients retain their rights while the new framework is introduced. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro presented the reform as a way to increase efficiency, autonomy and the state’s capacity to fight poverty and economic exclusion.