The Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, affirmed on Wednesday that the government has approved additional expenditure in the State Budget for 2026 (OE2026) for “permanent increases in pensions“, in response to recommendations by the Economic and Social Council (CES) favoring such measures.
The CES emphasized that the OE2026 should “prioritize the structural increase of pensions” over “ad hoc assistance,” which refers to temporary support.
“The CES highlights that, while extraordinary or temporary support may have an immediate effect on increasing pensioners’ income, aimed at mitigating, for example, inflationary periods or economic crises, the OE should prioritize structural pension increases over ad hoc assistance,” stated the CES.
What are the figures involved?
Following a meeting of the Council of Ministers, Leitão Amaro noted that the OE2026 includes “an additional expenditure of about 700 million euros for pensioners”.
According to the minister, part of this is for “permanent pension increases for all, following the legal formula for updates” and “another part is an increase in the Solidarity Supplement for the Elderly (CSI), to increase the income of those with lower pensions.”
In a dedicated site for the State Budget for 2026, the government addresses questions regarding the document and explains what should be known about the proposal, aiming to clarify doubts.
According to the minister, these 700 million euros represent a “significant effort, targeted specifically at a group and generating permanent expenditure,” which aligns with preserving and enhancing the purchasing power for those receiving lower pensions. “Gradually, we are adding, with an additional 40 euros per month approved for the next year,” he emphasized.
However, “if it becomes possible to free up more budgetary resources without compromising future budgets,” the minister indicated, the government intends to offer further supplements for the upcoming year.
The government, through the OE2026 proposal, states its continued commitment to supporting seniors and the most vulnerable, maintaining a focus on improving their income.
Leitão Amaro emphasized that this strategy is both “the most socially just” and “intergenerationally balanced.”
In a “global assessment” of pension expenditure, totaling 25,990.8 million euros, the CES noted that, while extraordinary or temporary assistance can immediately increase pensioners’ income during times of inflation or economic crisis, structural increases in pensions should be prioritized over ad hoc support.
The Council believes that it is crucial for pension policy to ensure predictability and sustainable growth in pensioners’ purchasing power, guaranteeing their dignity and financial resilience over the long term and preventing dependency on discretionary policy decisions.
Extra supplement for pensioners
In both 2024 and 2025, the government, led by Luís Montenegro, granted in September each year, an extraordinary supplement of 100, 150, and 200 euros for pensioners up to a certain monthly income of 1,527.78 euros (last year) and 1,567.50 euros (this year).
