The institutional and familial abandonment of the elderly is a clear symptom of a deep moral crisis. From a political and social standpoint the issue may even seem merely palliative, or terminal, but it is not. It can be remedied if we have the will and a strategy.
Portugal faces a social crisis verging on a moral one: the old age we hide in the attic
Friday, 30 January 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
Segurança Social is Portugal's public social security system, responsible for administering pensions, unemployment benefits, sickness pay, parental leave, family allowances, and other social support payments. It is funded through mandatory contributions from employers and employees.
Most services are managed online through Segurança Social Direta (SSD), where users can check contribution records, apply for benefits, submit declarations, and track payments using their NISS (Social Security Identification Number) and Citizen Card credentials.
Key interactions for residents include registering as a contributor (mandatory for all workers), claiming unemployment benefits, applying for parental leave, and accessing the minimum income scheme (Rendimento Social de Inserção). Self-employed workers (trabalhadores independentes) must also make quarterly income declarations through the platform.
