Claiming a subsequent unemployment allowance after receiving unemployment benefit

The subsequent unemployment allowance is a cash benefit that may be granted to anyone who:

  • has already received the full unemployment benefit to which they were entitled
  • is still unemployed and is registered at the job centre
  • fulfils the means test (based on the household’s proof of earnings and any property assets)

Service channels

Who can claiming a subsequent unemployment allowance after receiving unemployment benefit?

The following people are entitled to claim the subsequent unemployment allowance:

  • employees:
    • with an employment contract who have become unemployed, or
    • who have suspended their employment contract due to unpaid wages;
  • domestic workers, provided that:
    • they are employed on a full-time monthly basis and have entered into a written agreement with their employer to deduct the benefit from their actual wages, and
    • the agreement has been submitted to the relevant Social Security office and the conditions for the actual earnings to be considered the basis for contributions have been met;
  • workers in the customs sector;
  • primary and secondary school teachers;
  • former military employees or volunteers;
  • farmworkers covered by social security from 1 January 2011;
  • agricultural labourers, covered by social security until 31 December 2010;
  • workers in management positions who, when they were appointed, had been employed at the same company for at least a year;
  • workers with an employment contract who are at the same time managers or partners in a non-profit organisation, provided that they receive no remuneration for those duties;
  • anyone whose unemployment benefit has run out, provided they fulfil the other conditions required by law (see the sections on when to claim the allowance and on the documents and requirements for claiming the allowance).

When can you claiming a subsequent unemployment allowance after receiving unemployment benefit?

If you were receiving unemployment benefit

You have up to 90 consecutive (in a row) days after you stop receiving unemployment benefit.

If you provide proof about the members of your household and their respective income after those 90 days, the time during which you will be entitled to the subsequent unemployment allowance will be reduced by the time corresponding to the delay.

If you were receiving partial unemployment benefit

You can submit the necessary documents within 90 days after the date on which your part-time contract ended. This situation applies only if there was no qualifying period for the unemployment benefit or for the unemployment allowance when the part-time contract ended.

If you provide proof after the 90 consecutive days, the time during which you will be entitled to the subsequent unemployment allowance will be reduced by the time corresponding to the delay.

What are the documents and requirements to claiming a subsequent unemployment allowance after receiving unemployment benefit?

To claim the subsequent unemployment allowance, you must:

  • have received the full unemployment benefit to which you were entitled;
  • continue to be unemployed and registered at the job centre;
  • provide details about the members of your household;
  • fulfil the means test:
    • not have property assets of a value exceeding EUR 128 911.20 (240 x IAS),
    • no member of the household can have an income exceeding EUR 429.70 (80% of the IAS).

To claim the allowance, fill in the Household Composition and Income Declaration - Mod.MG8-DGSS (The form will download automatically).

To apply for the allowance, you will need to sign in using one of the following means of authentication:

  • Digital Mobile Key (CMD)
  • Citizen Card
  • Social Security number and password

If you do not yet have a Digital Mobile Key, find out how to activate your Digital Mobile Key.

If you want to use your citizen card, find out how to sign in with a Citizen Card.

How claiming a subsequent unemployment allowance after receiving unemployment benefit?

Online on Social Security Direct

To apply for the allowance, follow the steps below.

  1. Log in to Social Security Direct
  2. Click on ‘Subsídio social de desemprego subsequente’ [Subsequent unemployment allowance]
  3. Fill in the form, attach the necessary documents and submit your application

NB: You can also check the status of your claim on Social Security Direct [Segurança Social Direta].

In person

For how long can the subsequent unemployment allowance be claimed?

How long you can claim the subsequent unemployment allowance depends on your age and on the duration of the unemployment benefit you were granted initially.

Check the Social Security Portal to find out how long the unemployment allowance lasts in your case.

The subsequent unemployment allowance is paid from the day on which you provide proof that the monthly income per person in your household is equal to or less than EUR 407.41 (80% of the IAS). For more information, see the ‘Practical Guide – Means test’.

How much subsequent unemployment allowance will you receive?

The monthly amount of the subsequent unemployment allowance cannot, in any circumstances, be higher than the net amount of the reference remuneration used as the basis for calculating the unemployment benefit.

If you live alone, you will receive EUR 429.70, corresponding to 80% of the IAS or of the amount of your net reference remuneration used to calculate unemployment benefit (whichever is lower).

If you live in a household with family members, you will receive EUR 537.13, corresponding to 100% of the IAS or of the amount of your net reference remuneration used to calculate unemployment benefit (whichever is lower).