The deadline to submit applications for support for the reconstruction of permanent homes affected by bad weather ends this Tuesday, April 7th. The date was set in an order published in and comes at a time when the government acknowledges significant delays in analyzing and paying support to families affected by Storm Kristin.
The decision was formalized in an order signed by the Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida, published on Monday in the Diário da República. The document determines the closure, on April 7, 2026, of registrations for support in terms of permanent housing, as per Ordinance No. 63-A/2026/1, of February 9.
The closing of applications comes just days after the government publicly committed to completing the financial support processes for homes affected by Storm Kristin by June 30. The goal was announced over the weekend, at a time when the Executive sought to respond to criticism about the slow arrival of funds to affected families.
According to statements by Manuel Castro Almeida, the objective is to speed up analysis and decision procedures. The government official admitted that the money is taking a long time to reach people with damaged homes and stated that the Government’s aim is to make the process as quick as possible. On the same occasion, he committed to closing this process by the end of June.
Only a small part of the applications were decided
Two months after the passage of Storm Kristin, the figures put forward by the minister show the extent of the delay. According to the same official, of the 30 thousand applications submitted so far, only 3,200 have been decided, which represents just over 10% of the total.
The data released also points to a discrepancy between the amounts available and the amounts already paid. According to the minister, only four million euros were transferred, despite 250 million euros being available in the Central and Lisbon and Tagus Valley Regional Coordination and Development Commissions.
These numbers help explain the pressure felt by the government to accelerate the administrative and financial response, at a time when many families continue to await a decision on the support requested to recover their homes.
Storms left a trail of destruction in several regions
Storm Kristin, together with depressions Leonardo and Marta, has had a strong impact on mainland Portugal since January 28th. The human toll was particularly heavy, with at least 19 dead, several hundred injured, homeless and displaced. More than half of the fatalities were recorded during recovery work, according to known information.
The storms hit the continent for around three weeks and caused total or partial destruction to thousands of homes, businesses and equipment. There were also records of falling trees and structures, power, water and communications cuts, as well as floods and floods that caused billions of euros in damage.
The Centre, Lisbon and Vale do Tejo and Alentejo regions were the most affected by this episode of bad weather, which left deep marks on several communities and forced an emergency response on different fronts.
What is at stake for those who have not yet advanced
With the deadline ending on April 7, families who have not yet submitted a request for support for permanent housing now have one last window to do so. At the same time, expectations remain regarding the Government’s ability to fulfill its promise to complete pending processes by June 30, in a universe of tens of thousands of requests still to be closed.
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