The government has decided to advance the payment of December pensions, along with the respective Christmas bonus, as announced in a social media post by the administration, following last year’s practice. Thus, Social Security pensioners will receive their payments this Friday, December 5.
Typically, pensions are paid on the 8th of each month. The administration justifies the advance citing that this date coincides with a holiday:
“December pensions and the Christmas bonus will be paid earlier: on Friday, December 5. The advance is due to December 8, the usual payment day, being a holiday,” states the post shared by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.
This means the payment is made “before the extended weekend,” highlights the administration.
Pensioners of the Caixa Geral de Aposentações (CGA) received the Christmas bonus along with their pension on November 19, according to the calendar published on the institution’s website.
Pensions to Rise in 2026
As the year draws to a close, many are calculating for 2026 as the majority of pensioners are expected to see a pension increase of about 2.8%, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE).
This rate is calculated based on November’s inflation data, released last week. This was the last piece needed to complete the pension update formula.
The majority of pensioners are expected to see a pension increase of about 2.8%, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE). Find out how much your pension will increase.
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According to the statistics office’s quick estimate, the average inflation rate for the last 12 months, excluding housing, for November was 2.27%, allowing for the automatic update of pensions next year, in a formula that also takes into account the average annual growth rate of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the past two years.
Thus, based on these two indicators, pensions up to two IAS (1,073.94 euros), where most pensioners fall, will increase by 2.8% next year.
How Much Are Pensions Rising? See Your Case Here
DECO PROteste explains, “if INE’s estimates are confirmed, the social support index will rise from 522.50 euros in 2025 to 537.13 euros in 2026,” so pension increases may reach:
- 2.8% for pensions equal to or less than 1,074.26 euros;
- 2.3% for pensions greater than 1,074.26 and up to 3,222.78 euros;
- 2% for pensions greater than 3,222.78 euros and up to 6,445.56 euros.
The consumer protection organization emphasizes that “although the estimated November inflation rate by INE is already known, these calculations will only be finalized in mid-December,” and therefore “these values may not yet be final.”
