Family allowences

Parents, legal guardians, certain establishments and even young people themselves (if over 18) may claim a family allowance, a benefit paid out by Social Security, to compensate for the costs of raising and educating children.

The information in this section is organised as follows:

For children and young people

The family allowance is a monthly cash benefit paid to compensate for the costs of a family raising and educating children.

Children and young people who meet all the following conditions are entitled to the child benefit / family allowance:

  • resident in Portugal (or treated as a resident);
  • not in employment (an exception is made for employment during school holidays);
  • the household falls under the required income bracket (see income brackets and how to calculate the reference value);
  • the household does not have movable assets (e.g. bank accounts, shares, investment funds, etc.) exceeding EUR 122.222,04 (240 times the value of the Portuguese social support index (IAS)*).

From the age of 16, young people are only entitled to child benefit if they are in education, at the level required.

Find out more about how to apply for family allowance / child benefit for children and young people.

* Value of the IAS (Portuguese social support index) in 2024 = EUR 509,26

For single-parent families

When a pregnant woman lives alone and receives the antenatal family allowance or when children or young people are part of a single-parent household and receive the child benefit family allowance, the amount of the benefit increases by 35%.

Whether the family was already a single-parent family when applying for child benefit or whether they became a single-parent family after applying, in either case it is possible to apply for the increased amount awarded by Social Security.

Find out more about how to apply for an increase in the allowance for single-parent families.

For large families

Whenever a family has two or more children receiving child benefit, the amount of the benefit increases. However, the increased amount is only granted to children up to the age of 3 years.

There is no need to apply for this increase, as it is paid out automatically by Social Security.

Find out more about the increase in the allowance for large families.

Study grants

Young students who receive the child benefit family allowance may also be granted a study grant. This is an incentive put in place to lower school dropout rates, improve young people’s qualifications and compensate for the additional costs of compulsory attendance at secondary school or equivalent.

When students meet the conditions for being awarded this aid, they will receive a study grant until the end of the school year in which they reach the age of 18, equal to the amount of the family allowance allocated.

The study grant does not need to be requested and is awarded automatically if the conditions are met. It is paid together with the family allowance / child benefit for children and young people.

Find out more about study grants (Social Security).

Information updated on March 15, 2024