Unemployment benefit in Portugal 2026: how much you get

The 2026 rule in one paragraph

The unemployment benefit pays 65% of your reference earnings (Art. 28 n.1 of Decree-Law 220/2006). In 2026, that figure always sits between two limits: 537.13 EUR at the bottom and 1,342.83 EUR at the top. Anyone who earned the minimum wage or more has a higher floor of 617.70 EUR. All these numbers come from the same place: the IAS (Social Support Index), which in 2026 is 537.13 EUR.

The calculation in 3 steps (Art. 28)

Social Security does not pay on your last salary. It pays on a historical average called reference earnings (RR).

1. Add up your earnings over the 12 reference months, meaning everything that paid into Social Security (base salary plus the holiday and Christmas allowances). Social Security counts the 12 months up to about two months before unemployment.
2. Divide by 360. That gives your daily reference earnings.
3. Multiply by 65%. That is your daily benefit. For the monthly figure, multiply by 30.

Do not know your total? It is in Segurança Social Direta, under "Conta-corrente" and "Remunerações". It is the basis for everything.

The 2026 limits (the table)

After the 65% calculation, the result is pushed inside these limits (Art. 29 of Decree-Law 220/2006):

The raised floor of 617.70 EUR exists to protect lower earners. If your reference earnings were equal to or above the guaranteed minimum monthly wage (920 EUR in 2026, Art. 273 of the Labour Code), the benefit never drops below 617.70 EUR.

The 10% cut after 6 months (Art. 28 n.2)

One rule catches many people off guard: from day 181, the benefit drops 10%.

It is in Art. 28 n.2 of Decree-Law 220/2006. The aim is to nudge active job search.

Mark the date: 6 months after the start. That is when the amount changes.

How long it lasts (Art. 37)

Duration is not the same for everyone. It depends on two things: your age and the number of months with contributions before unemployment.

On top of this come contribution top-ups (Art. 37 n.2): an extra 30 days (up to age 40), 45 days (40 to 49) or 60 days (50 or older) for each 5 years of contributions in the last 20 years.

The 10% top-up for couples and single-parent families

There is a 10% increase on the calculated amount when:

• Both members of a couple are receiving unemployment benefit and have dependent children, or
• You are a single-parent family and receive no court-ordered maintenance.

In those cases, you add 10% to the figure from the calculation. You must request it and prove the situation to Social Security.

What if you fall short of 360 days?

If you do not have 360 days of contributions in the last 24 months, there is still a door: the social unemployment benefit. It is tighter.

• You need 180 days of contributions in the previous 12 months.
• Your household income, per person, cannot exceed 80% of the IAS (about 429.70 EUR in 2026).
• The value is 80% of the IAS (no dependants) or 100% of the IAS (with dependants).

To check first whether you qualify, and by which route, use the diagnostic below.

4 common mistakes about the amount

1. Thinking you get your whole salary. You do not. You get 65% of reference earnings, with caps.
2. Forgetting the 10% cut after 6 months. The household budget changes in month 7. Plan for it.
3. Mixing up last month's salary with reference earnings. The calculation is on the 12-month average, not on the last payslip.
4. Applying late. You have 90 days from the end of the contract to apply. Miss it and you lose benefit days.

How it all connects

The quick math: add 12 months of earnings, divide by 360, multiply by 65%, then push inside the 2026 limits.

• To check whether you qualify and why: guide on how to apply for unemployment benefit.
• If you resigned and fear losing the right: guide I quit my job, do I lose unemployment benefit.
• For the minimum wage that sets the raised floor: guide minimum wage Portugal 2026.