Portuguese Social Security recorded a surplus of 4,415.8 million euros by the end of July, a value significantly higher than the 3,214.9 million euros reported in the same period of the previous year. The data is contained in the budget execution synthesis of the Budgetary Entity, formerly the General Directorate for Budget. Social Security's effective revenue reached 27,632.6 million euros in the first seven months of the year, surpassing the 25,459.7 million from the same period last year, while effective expenditure totaled 23,216.8 million euros.
Between January and July, social benefit expenditures grew significantly in some areas. The supplement for extraordinary support to children and youth increased by 40.5%, the social inclusion benefit supplement rose by 39.8%, and the informal caregiver support allowance grew by 21.1%. In contrast, there were decreases in funds allocated to extraordinary pension updates, which fell by 33%, in subsidies for operational programs, and in vocational training actions funded by the European Social Fund.
Despite the positive numbers, the sector has been under intense public scrutiny. The Anti-Fraud Plan revealed the detection of approximately 159 million euros in improper social benefit payments over the last year and a half. The opposition also proposed conducting an external audit of the organization to verify the allocation of pensions and supplements. Public finance experts have warned that analyzing Social Security's surplus in isolation may mask structural challenges and deficits in other subsectors such as the Caixa Geral de Aposentações, fueling the debate about the long-term sustainability of the system.
