Portugal's Complemento Solidário for Seniors Gains 105,000 New Beneficiaries

The Portuguese government reports that the Complemento Solidário para Idosos (CSI) program added more than 105,000 new beneficiaries over the two‑year period from April 2024 to June 2026, raising the total number of seniors covered from about 140,000 to 245,500 – a 75 % increase.

In June 2026, for the first time, over half of CSI recipients received a monthly allowance exceeding €200, and one in five received more than €300. Seniors receiving over €200 rose from 45,000 to 132,000, an increase of 87,000. The programme also plans to provide free medication to more than 220,000 elderly people by 2026. These gains stem from policy changes that raised the reference amount from €550.70 to €670 and removed children’s income from eligibility calculations, expanding both coverage and payment levels.