The update of the Solidarity Supplement for the Elderly (CSI), foreseen in the State Budget for 2026, promises to reinforce support for pensioners with lower incomes. However, the new conditions raise criticism and doubts about the effectiveness of the measure, as many pensions will continue to be excluded from social benefits.
The Government announced that the CSI reference value will be increased by 40 euros next year, rising from the current 630 to 670 euros per month. The measure, presented as a boost to the income of elderly people with lower pensions, is included in the State Budget proposal for 2026 (OE2026).
Still, the lack of changes to access criteria means that many pensioners will continue to be left out, including those who receive pensions starting at 575 euros, according to Jornal de Notícias.
Criticisms of the measure and political accusations
Associations of pensioners and social sector entities, cited by the same source, consider that the announcement of the increase in the CSI is more of an “electoral flag” than a concrete solution. According to these organizations, the ideal would be a transversal growth of all pensions, guaranteeing a real improvement in the purchasing power of the elderly and not just limited support for a restricted group.
The OE2026 proposal keeps the main eligibility criterion intact: to access the CSI, an isolated pensioner cannot have gross annual income exceeding 8,040 euros. It is from this value that the monthly limit that defines the right to benefit is calculated.
The impact of income limits
When this amount is divided by 14 months of income (including holiday and Christmas allowances), the monthly amount cannot exceed 574.29 euros. Therefore, any pension above this value (in 2026) automatically leaves the beneficiary out of support, even if the benefit was sufficient to supplement the income up to the new limit of 670 euros.
In practice, this means that pensioners who receive more than 574.29 euros per month are not entitled to the approximately 96 euros per month that would help to reach the new reference value.
Although the Government highlights the 40 euro increase in the CSI as a social achievement, the truth is that the number of beneficiaries may not increase significantly, leaving the universe of exclusion practically unchanged.
The controversy surrounding the Solidarity Supplement
The decision has fueled political and social outcry. Opposition parties accuse the Executive of announcing a misleading reinforcement, which does not solve the structural problems of the elderly population with low-middle incomes.
The associations demand a deeper review of access conditions, which would allow a greater number of pensioners to be covered and reduce the existing inequality between different income groups.
While the debate continues, the Government argues that the measure represents a step in the right direction and guarantees that, in the event of budgetary slack, there may be new increases or additional supplements to lower pensions, in accordance with the .
Until then, the update of the Solidarity Supplement for the Elderly remains shrouded in controversy, with many experts warning that the exclusion of thousands of pensioners could cancel out part of the expected social impact.
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