The prenatal family allowance is a support granted by the State, created with the aim of encouraging motherhood. Find out how to get this financial aid.
Share the post “Prenatal family allowance: how and when to apply for this support”
THE prenatal family allowance is financial support given to pregnant women from the 13th week of pregnancy onwards, since maternity expenses begin even before the child is born, such as medical consultations inherent to pregnancy and the purchase of clothes and other materials to prepare the arrival of the baby.
This monetary aid, coming from the State, was thus created with the aim of encouraging motherhood by compensating for the added burdens during the period of pregnancy. The value of this support varies according to the household income.
Prenatal family allowance: conditions and amounts
When can you apply for prenatal family allowance?
The pregnant woman must apply for the allowance after the 13th week of pregnancy or up to 6 months from the month following the birth of the baby. In this case, ask for the allowance
prenatal care together with the family allowance for children and young people.
But be careful, if it is not requested within this period of 6 months, you lose the right to prenatal family allowance
What documents are needed?
When submitting the application, you must submit an application in a specific form (Mod. PR 5045/2020 – DGSS) together with a medical certificate (Mod. GF 44/2012 – DGSS) containing information on the length of pregnancy and the expected number of unborn children, that is, children who will be born.
When the prenatal family allowance is requested together with the family allowance for children and young people, that is, after the child is born, this second document does not need to be submitted.
Furthermore, if household members are not yet identified with Social Security, you will also need to submit a copy of the valid Identification Document. And if you apply after the birth, you will need to include identification of the newborn child or children.
If you want the payment to be made by bank transfer, you must also deliver a IBAN proof document.
Where is it asked?
The pregnant woman can make the request through Direct Social Security, filling out the online form, in the “Family” tab, and delivering the scanned documentation through the “proof documents” option in the “Profile” menu.
If you prefer, you can do so by prior appointment, at the Social Security service desk in your area of residence, presenting the paper forms and the documents indicated therein.
What are the conditions for granting the prenatal family allowance?
To see her request accepted, the pregnant woman must:
- Having reached the 13th week of pregnancy;
- Be a resident in Portugal or equivalent to a resident;
- Prove that the total value of the movable assets (bank deposits, Savings Certificates, shares or other financial assets) of all household members is less than 115,303.20 euros on the date of application (corresponds to 240 x IAS);
- Have a reference income equal to or less than the value established for the 3rd income bracket (equal to or less than 1.5xIASx14).
The value of the Social Support Index (IAS) for 2023 is 480,43 euros.
How much do you receive?
The amount to be received varies depending on the household level, which in turn depends on the benchmark yield. The lower the scale in which it operates, the greater the amount of support.
The amounts of the prenatal family allowance are as follows:
Prenatal family allowance
| number of children | 1st step | 2nd step | 3rd step | 4th step |
| 1 baby | €149.85 | €123.69 | €97.31 | €58.39 |
| twins | €299.70 | €247.38 | €187.42 | €116.78 |
| triplets | €449.55 | €371.07 | €281.13 | €175.17 |
Single-parent families, located in the first four levels, receive the amount corresponding to the allowance increased by 35%.
Prenatal family allowance (single parent family)
| number of children | 1st step | 2nd step | 3rd step | 4th step |
| 1 baby | €202.30 | €166.98 | €131.37 | €78.83 |
| twins | €404.60 | €333.96 | €262.74 | €157.66 |
| triplets | €606.90 | €500.94 | €394.11 | €236.49 |
The amounts received from prenatal family allowance are Exempted from being declared to the IRS.
How do I know what the income bracket is?
To find out what level the household is in, it is necessary to Calculate the family’s baseline income.
First, the annual income of all household members is added up. Then, to the number of children and young people in the household who are already entitled to family allowance, add the number of babies that will be born, plus one.
Finally, divide the first value by the second to find the reference yield. This income corresponds to one of the 5 existing levels. It should be remembered, however, that pregnant women who are in the 5th income bracket do not receive prenatal family allowance.
| step | Yield of reference | Yield in 2022 | Yield in 2023 |
| 1st | equal to or greater than 0.5xIASx14 | up to €3,102.40 | up to €3,363.01 |
| 2nd | Greater than 0.5xIASx14 and equal to or less than 1xIASx14 | more than €3,102.40 up to €6,204.80 |
more than €3,363.01 up to €6,726.02 |
| 3rd | Greater than 1xIASx14 and equal to or less than 1.7xIASx14 | over €6,204.80 up to €10,548.16 | more than €6,726.02 up to €10,089.03 |
| 4th | Greater than 1.7xIASx14 and equal to or less than 2.5xIASx14 | over €10,548.16 up to €15,512.00 | over €10,089.03 up to €11,434.23 |
| 5th | Greater than 2.5xIASx14 | more than €15,512.00 | more than €11,434.23 |
What income is considered?
With what other benefits can it be accumulated?
The prenatal allowance can be combined with:
The allowance cannot be combined with:
Until when do you receive it?
The prenatal family allowance is assigned for 6 months, from the month following the month in which the 13th week of pregnancy is reached.
If the period of pregnancy is:
- greater than 40 weeks is assigned for 6 months or up to and including the month of birth;
- shorter than 40 weeks, it is granted for 6 months and can be accumulated with the family allowance for children and young people after birth.
If there is an interruption of the pregnancy, the allowance is granted up to the month of the termination of the pregnancy, and this fact must be communicated to the Social Security services.
When can it finish?
State support ceases to be given if:
- The pregnant woman ceases to reside in Portugal;
- Expiration of the period of validity of the residence permit in the national territory;
- A termination of pregnancy occurs.
Related duties and sanctions
Duties
The pregnant woman must present all the documents requested by Social Security to prove income, residence and composition of the household. When there is an interruption of pregnancy, through miscarriage or a voluntary interruption, the beneficiary who is receiving the allowance must communicate this fact to Social Security. within 10 working dayss, from the date of occurrence.
You must also mention any other facts that determine the termination of the respective allowance, such as a change of address or a change in the composition or income of the household.
sanctions
Anyone who does not comply with the aforementioned duties will be committing an administrative offence, the punishment of which is a fine between 100 to 250 euros in the case of false declarations or omissions, which result in the undue allocation of prenatal family allowance, in the case of:
- Request or receive the same benefit through another social protection scheme;
- Do not declare, in the application, the composition of the household and the experience in family economy of the respective members of the household;
- Interruption of the pregnancy if this knowledge is not given to Social Security.
The amount of the fine can be higher, ranging from 250 to 2,494 eurosif there are false statements in the prenatal family allowance application relating to:
- Household income;
- Number of children or young people entitled to family allowance included in the household;
- Social Security and tax identification number – NISS and NIF.
Article originally published in September 2019. Last updated in January 2023.
