Child Benefits and Parental Leave in Portugal
Family allowance, the prenatal allowance, parental leave for each parent, and how families who have moved here apply.
Last verified: September 2026.
Who this is for
- You live legally in Portugal with children, or you are pregnant, and want to know what you can claim.
- You are an employee or self-employed, pay Social Security here, and are planning parental leave.
- You are an EU or non-EU citizen with residence rights in Portugal.
Not for you if: you want the pregnancy, birth, and health care side. Read Having a Baby in Portugal instead.
Updated September 2026. The 2026 amounts below apply from 1 January 2026. Parliament has not yet passed longer parental leave.
Portugal gives families two main kinds of support, both from Social Security (Segurança Social). Child benefit (abono de família) is a monthly payment for lower and middle-income households, worth up to €190.98 a month per child in 2026. Parental leave pay (subsídio parental) replaces your salary while you are off work after a birth, at 80% to 100% of your usual pay. Child benefit depends on household income. Leave pay depends on having paid six months of contributions. You apply online at the Social Security Portal.
What you can claim
| Support | Who gets it | Depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Prenatal allowance (abono de família pré-natal) | Pregnant women from week 13 | Household income |
| Child benefit (abono de família para crianças e jovens) | Children and young people | Household income |
| Initial parental benefit (subsídio parental inicial) | Working parents after a birth | Six months of contributions |
| Extended parental benefit (subsídio parental alargado) | Working parents after the initial leave | Six months of contributions |
| Benefit to care for a sick child (subsídio para assistência a filho) | Working parents | Six months of contributions |
Who qualifies
For child benefit and the prenatal allowance, you need:
- to live in Portugal legally
- household income within one of the first four income bands (explained below)
- household savings and investments of no more than €128,911.20 (240 times the social support index, IAS)
If you are not an EU citizen, you prove legal residence with a residence permit, a residence visa, or the receipt for a renewal or new application. Some nationals are treated like Portuguese citizens because of social security agreements. For the prenatal allowance, Social Security lists the EU, Australia, Brazil, Cape Verde, and Morocco. Workers from these countries do not need to show residence proof.
For parental leave pay, you need:
- six months of contributions, in a row or not, in Portugal or another country whose social security Portugal recognises
- no gap of six months or more without contributions
- no contribution debts, if you are self-employed
Each parent and each child needs a Social Security number (NISS). See Getting a Social Security Number (NISS) in Portugal.
How your income band is worked out
Social Security puts your household into one of five income bands (escalões). It works out a "reference income" in four steps:
- Add up the yearly income of everyone in the household.
- Count the children entitled to child benefit, and add one.
- Divide the income by that number.
- The result sets your band.
Income includes salaries (with holiday and Christmas pay), self-employed earnings, rental and investment income, pensions, and most other benefits. For new claims in 2026, Social Security uses your 2025 income:
| Band | Reference income (2025 income, for 2026 claims) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Up to €3,657.50 |
| 2 | €3,657.51 to €7,315.00 |
| 3 | €7,315.01 to €12,435.50 |
| 4 | €12,435.51 to €18,287.50 |
| 5 | Over €18,287.50: no child benefit |
Example. A couple with one child earns €30,000 a year. Divide by two (one child plus one): €15,000. That is band 4.
If your income has fallen, you can ask for your band to be reassessed. You must wait at least 90 days since the last assessment.
Child benefit: how much you get in 2026
These are the monthly amounts per child:
| Child's age | Band 1 | Band 2 | Band 3 | Band 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 36 months | €190.98 | €161.65 | €132.07 | €88.43 |
| 36 to 72 months | €75.13 | €75.13 | €59.33 | €44.77 |
| Over 72 months | €75.13 | €75.13 | €54.35 | nothing |
In band 4, payments stop when the child turns six.
Children between 6 and 16 who are in school and in band 1 get a double payment in September.
After 16, child benefit continues only while the young person studies, up to age 24 depending on the level of study. Each July you must prove enrolment online. Young people with a disability can receive it up to age 24.
Extra amounts for larger families and single parents
Two or more children aged 36 months or younger. Each child in that age group gets a monthly top-up:
| Household | Band 1 | Band 2 | Band 3 | Band 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two children entitled | €64.96 | €57.64 | €54.35 | €39.28 |
| More than two children entitled | €106.96 | €92.32 | €85.76 | €55.70 |
Single parents. If only one adult is responsible for the children, child benefit goes up by 50%. The prenatal allowance goes up by 35%. You must declare this and prove it, usually with the court or registry agreement on parental responsibilities. A letter from your parish council (Junta de Freguesia) is not accepted.
Children in severe poverty. If your household is in band 1 and on very low income, your child can also get the child guarantee (Garantia para a Infância). It tops up support to a yearly reference of €1,528 per child in 2026. Social Security works this out from your records.
Children with a disability. A monthly disability supplement (bonificação por deficiência) is added to child benefit:
- up to age 14: €74.19
- ages 14 to 18: €108.06
- ages 18 to 24: €144.63
A carer allowance (subsídio por assistência de terceira pessoa) of €128.24 a month is also available where a child needs full-time care. See Getting a Disability Certificate (Atestado Multiusos) in Portugal.
The prenatal allowance
The prenatal allowance is a monthly payment during pregnancy. You can claim it from the 13th week, whether or not you work. It uses the same income bands, with the unborn baby counted as a child.
| Pregnancy | Band 1 | Band 2 | Band 3 | Band 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One baby | €190.98 | €161.65 | €132.07 | €88.43 |
| Twins | €381.96 | €323.30 | €264.14 | €176.86 |
| Triplets | €572.94 | €484.95 | €396.21 | €265.29 |
Payments start the month after you reach week 13. If the baby is born at 40 weeks or later, you are paid up to and including the month of birth. If the baby is born earlier, you are paid for six months.
You can still claim up to six months after the birth, together with child benefit. After that, you lose the prenatal allowance.
How to apply for child benefit and the prenatal allowance
For the prenatal allowance, apply from week 13:
- Get a medical certificate stating how far along you are and how many babies you expect.
- Log in to the Social Security Portal (Portal da Segurança Social) with your NISS password or the Digital Mobile Key (Chave Móvel Digital).
- Go to Família, then Desenvolvimento de crianças e jovens, then Abono de família para crianças e jovens.
- Choose "Pedir novo abono pré-natal" and upload the certificate.
If you received the prenatal allowance, you do not need a new claim after the birth. Show the baby's identity document to Social Security.
For child benefit after the birth:
- Register the birth. See Registering a Birth in Portugal.
- Check your message area on the Social Security Portal. If the baby and both parents have Citizen Cards and live in Portugal, Social Security sends an automatic proposal. You just accept it.
- If no proposal arrives, apply yourself in the same menu with "Pedir novo abono de família". The baby needs a NISS first.
- Check that your bank account (IBAN) is registered under Perfil, then Conta bancária.
Non-EU families without Citizen Cards usually apply manually. You can also apply at any Social Security office, using form RP 5045.
Documents you may be asked for:
- a valid identity document for each household member
- your residence permit or other proof of legal residence, if you are not an EU citizen
- proof of enrolment, for young people aged 16 to 24
- the agreement or court decision on parental responsibilities, if you are a single parent
The deadline. Apply within six months, counted from the first day of the month after the birth. If you apply on time, you are paid from the month after the birth. If you apply later, payments start only the month after you apply.
Parental leave: the options
Initial parental leave belongs to both parents. You choose one option when you apply. The percentages apply to your reference pay (explained below).
| Option | How it is shared | Pay |
|---|---|---|
| 120 days | Not shared, or shared without meeting the sharing rule | 100% |
| 150 days | Not shared | 80% |
| 150 days (120 + 30) | Each parent takes 30 days in a row, or two blocks of 15, on their own | 100% |
| 180 days (150 + 30) | Each parent takes 30 days in a row, or two blocks of 15, on their own | 83% |
| 180 days (150 + 30) | Each parent takes 60 days in a row, or two blocks of 30, on their own | 90% |
"On their own" means at different times, after the mother's first 42 days. You must tell your employer how you will share the leave within seven days of the birth.
Twins and other multiple births add 30 days per extra baby. A premature birth at 33 weeks or earlier adds the days the baby spent in hospital, plus 30 days. If the baby must stay in hospital after the birth, those days are also added, up to 30.
After the first 120 days, you can combine the remaining leave with part-time work. You then receive half the daily benefit.
Leave that only the mother or the father can take
The mother must take 42 days straight after the birth. If she works, she can also start up to 30 days before the birth.
The father must take 28 days within the first 42 days after the birth:
- at least 7 days in a row, starting straight after the birth
- the other 21 days in blocks of at least 7 days
He can add 7 optional days while the mother is on leave. For twins, he gets 2 more days per extra baby. The father's days are always paid at 100%.
Paternity leave is separate from paid holiday. It does not reduce your annual leave.
How much leave pays
Your pay during leave is based on your reference pay (remuneração de referência):
- Take the eight months before the month you stop work.
- Keep the six oldest of those months.
- Add up the salaries in those six months, leaving out holiday and Christmas pay.
- Divide by 180 to get a daily rate.
Example. Leave starts in April. The eight months before run from August to March. The six oldest are August to January. If those salaries total €6,600, your daily reference pay is €36.67.
The daily benefit cannot be less than €14.32 in 2026. There is no upper limit. Parents in the Azores and Madeira get 2% more.
Because holiday and Christmas pay are left out, you may lose part of them during leave. Social Security pays a separate compensation (prestação compensatória) if your employer does not. Claim it within six months from 1 January of the following year.
Extended parental leave
After initial leave, each parent can take up to three more months of extended parental leave (licença parental alargada). The child must be under six. The extended benefit pays:
- 30% of reference pay if taken full-time
- 40% if both parents each take the full three months
- 20% if combined with part-time work
The daily minimum is €7.16 in 2026. You cannot transfer your months to the other parent. Each parent can take them in up to three separate blocks. Apply within six months of the first day off work, or you lose the pay.
Time off when your child is ill
If your child is ill or has an accident, you can take time off with pay from Social Security:
- up to 30 days a year per parent for a child under 12
- up to 15 days a year for a child aged 12 or over
- one extra day for each child after the first
- the whole hospital stay, if a child under 12 is in hospital
It pays 100% of your net reference pay, and never less than 65% of your gross reference pay. A separate, longer benefit exists for children with a disability or chronic illness.
Employees with children under 12 can also ask for part-time work or flexible hours. Your employer can refuse only for serious business reasons, following a set procedure.
How to apply for parental leave pay
- Tell your employer in writing about your leave dates.
- Log in to the Social Security Portal and go to Família, then Maternidade e paternidade, then Subsídio Parental Inicial.
- Fill in the dates and the sharing option. If you apply on paper, the form is RP 5049.
- Apply within six months of the first day you stopped work. If you apply late, the days past six months are deducted from what you are paid.
If you are self-employed, check your contributions are up to date first. See Registering as Self-Employed (Recibos Verdes) in Portugal.
If you have not paid enough contributions
If you do not have six months of contributions, you may get the social parental benefit (subsídio social parental) instead. It is means-tested and pays less.
The mother's 42 days and the father's 28 days need only one month of contributions in the six months before the leave.
If you have just moved from another EU country, your contributions there count towards the six months. Social Security can ask that country to confirm them. A statement of your contributions from that country speeds this up.
Mistakes that cost families money
- Applying late for child benefit. After six months you lose the earlier months for good.
- Missing the prenatal allowance. It cannot be claimed more than six months after the birth.
- Not declaring single-parent status. The 50% increase is not added automatically.
- Forgetting the July proof of study. Payments for young people over 16 stop if you miss it.
- Assuming leave pay covers holiday and Christmas pay. Claim the separate compensation.
What may change
Parliament approved in principle, on 23 January 2026, a citizens' proposal for 180 days of initial leave at 100% pay. The detailed vote has been postponed several times, most recently in September 2026. Until a law is published, the rules above apply.
For how these benefits fit into the wider system, see Understanding Portugal's Social Security System.
Sources
This guide is written from official Portuguese and EU sources and, for prices and contact details, the providers' own websites.
- Portaria n.º 60/2026/1 of 5 February 2026, Diário da República: https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/portaria/60-2026-1038101444 (2026 child benefit, prenatal allowance, large-family top-ups, single-parent increases, child guarantee €1,528, disability supplement and carer allowance amounts, effective 1 January 2026; read from the PDF at https://files.diariodarepublica.pt/1s/2026/02/02500/0001600019.pdf)
- Segurança Social, Guia Prático Abono de Família para Crianças e Jovens, published 14 July 2026: https://www.seg-social.pt/ptss/pssd/documento/cmc1z3qdt00j1kl2ya2677byz (eligibility, €128,911.20 asset limit, band calculation and 2025 and 2026 thresholds, September double payment, age limits, documents for foreign citizens, six-month deadline, automatic proposal, portal menus, form RP 5045, 90-day reassessment rule)
- Segurança Social, Guia Prático Abono de Família Pré-Natal, published 24 July 2026: https://www.seg-social.pt/ptss/pssd/documento/cmc20h6d800pqkl2y3q3ur06i (week 13 start, amounts for twins and triplets, 35% single-parent increase, payment period, countries with agreements, claim deadline)
- Segurança Social, Guia Prático Subsídio Parental Inicial, published 20 May 2026: https://www.seg-social.pt/ptss/pssd/documento/cmc1ynbn400fskl2y5g278wvp (leave options and rates, exclusive periods, sharing rule, multiple and premature births, reference pay calculation, €14.32 minimum, 2% island increase, six-month claim deadline, form RP 5049, compensation for holiday and Christmas pay)
- Segurança Social, Guia Prático Subsídio Parental Alargado, published 27 July 2026: https://www.seg-social.pt/ptss/pssd/documento/cmcdd41ji00mnkw2yx0ss77d8 (30%, 40%, and 20% rates, €7.16 minimum, three months per parent, child under six, up to three blocks)
- gov.pt, Pedir o subsídio parental alargado: https://www.gov.pt/servicos/requerer-o-subsidio-parental-alargado (30%, 40%, and 20% rates for birth cases, child up to six, six-month deadline)
- Segurança Social, Guia Prático Subsídio para Assistência a Filho, published 1 June 2026: https://www.seg-social.pt/ptss/pssd/documento/cmc1yskdv00hekl2y3y5pojwg (100% of net reference pay, 65% floor, 30 and 15 day limits, hospital stays)
- Segurança Social, Subsídio Social Parental: https://www.seg-social.pt/ptss/pssd/menu/familia/maternidade-paternidade/subsidio-social-parental (means-tested alternative)
- Decreto-Lei n.º 91/2009, parental protection scheme, Diário da República: https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/legislacao-consolidada/decreto-lei/2009-70157403 (legal basis for parental benefits)
- Decreto-Lei n.º 176/2003, family benefits, Diário da República: https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/legislacao-consolidada/decreto-lei/2003-34567175 (legal basis for child benefit and the prenatal allowance)
- Código do Trabalho, Lei n.º 7/2009, Diário da República: https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/legislacao-consolidada/lei/2009-34546475 (parenthood leave rights, part-time and flexible hours for parents of children under 12)
- EUR-Lex, Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2004/883/oj (contributions in other EU countries counting towards the qualifying period)
- Assembleia da República, parliamentary initiatives: https://www.parlamento.pt/ActividadeParlamentar/Paginas/IniciativasLegislativas.aspx (status of the proposal for longer initial leave)
Last verified September 2026. Rules and fees change; check the official source before acting.