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What is the Social Integration Income (RSI)?

RSI is a monthly benefit for low-income families. It is the household’s monthly income subtracted from a maximum that grows with the number of people.

3 min readReviewed By Thorben Rasmus IdelReviewed by Nahar Geva

TL;DR

The Rendimento Social de Inserção (RSI), or Social Integration Income, is a monthly benefit from Portugal’s Social Security for people and families in poverty, combining a cash payment with an integration programme. The amount is built from a reference value (€247.56 in 2026, the first adult’s amount) scaled by the household: 100% for the first adult, 70% for each additional adult and 50% for each minor. The benefit you receive is the difference between that maximum and the household’s monthly income.

What is the RSI?

The Rendimento Social de Inserção (RSI), or Social Integration Income, is a monthly benefit from Portugal’s Social Security for people and families in poverty2. It has two parts that go together: a cash payment that guarantees a minimum income, and an integration programme with employment, training, health or education actions agreed in a contract.

The idea is simple: give those who have very little a minimum to live on, while creating the conditions to move out of hardship. You can estimate the benefit in our Social Integration Income calculator.

Who can claim the RSI?

To be entitled to RSI you generally need to2:

  • have very low income, below the household’s reference value;
  • reside legally in Portugal;
  • be 18 or older (there are exceptions, such as having dependent minors or being pregnant);
  • meet the means test, which looks not only at income but also at assets (there is a limit on the value of movable assets, referenced to the IAS);
  • sign and follow an integration contract.

The decision on entitlement, the exact counting of income and the contract are always up to Social Security.

What is the RSI value in 2026?

The reference value of the RSI, that is, the amount for the first adult of the household, is €247.56 in 20261. That figure equals 46.09% of the IAS (Social Support Index) and was set by Portaria no. 71/2026/1, with effect from 1 January 2026.

From that value, the law defines an equivalence scale that makes the maximum grow with the household2:

Household memberPercentage2026 amount
First adult (holder)100%€247.56
Each additional adult70%€173.29
Each minor50%€123.78

How is the RSI calculated?

The calculation has two steps2:

RSI = household maximum − household monthly income

  1. Household maximum: add the reference value for each person, following the scale (100% / 70% / 50%).
  2. Subtract the monthly income of the whole household. What remains is the benefit to receive. If income already equals or exceeds the maximum, there is no benefit.

Worked example

A household of 2 adults and 1 minor:

  • maximum = €247.56 (first adult) + €173.29 (second adult, 70%) + €123.78 (one minor, 50%) = €544.63;
  • if the household has monthly income of €350, it receives €544.63 − €350 = €194.63 a month;
  • with no income at all, it would receive the full €544.63;
  • if it already earned €550, it would not qualify for the benefit.

Try your case in the RSI calculator.

Which income counts?

The income of the whole household counts: wages, pensions, other social benefits and income from capital or assets2. Social Security applies its own rules: some income (for example, from work) may not count in full, and there is an assets limit above which there is no entitlement. So the real amount can differ from a simple total-income calculation.

RSI, child benefit and other support

RSI is one of Portugal’s social benefits, but not the only one. Families with children can combine RSI with child benefit (abono de família), which has its own rules; people who have lost a job may be entitled to unemployment benefit, which is a contributory benefit (it depends on the contributions paid) rather than a solidarity benefit like the RSI. Each support has its own calculation and conditions.

Common mistakes

  • Thinking everyone receives the full €247.56

    That is the maximum for a single adult with no income. The benefit is the difference between the household maximum and the income the household already has, so it is almost always less than the maximum.

  • Forgetting the amount grows with the household

    The maximum is not fixed: it adds 70% of the reference value per additional adult and 50% per minor. A household of four has a far higher maximum than a single person.

  • Confusing gross income with what counts for RSI

    Social Security applies its own rules to income: some income may be only partly counted and there is an assets limit. The real amount can differ from a simple total-income estimate.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Social Integration Income (RSI)?
It is a benefit from Portugal’s Social Security that pairs a monthly cash payment with an integration programme (employment, training, health, education). It is for people and families facing severe economic hardship and guarantees a minimum income while working towards self-sufficiency.
Who can claim the RSI?
People with very low income who reside legally in Portugal, are 18 or older (with exceptions, such as having dependent minors or being pregnant), meet the means test (income and assets limits) and sign an integration contract. The decision rests with Social Security.
What is the RSI value in 2026?
The reference value (the first adult’s amount) is €247.56 in 2026, set by Portaria no. 71/2026/1 and equal to 46.09% of the IAS. Each additional adult adds €173.29 (70%) and each minor €123.78 (50%).
How is the RSI calculated?
You add the reference value for each member of the household (100% for the first adult, 70% per additional adult, 50% per minor) to get the maximum. The benefit received is that maximum minus the household’s monthly income.
Which income counts for the RSI?
The income of the whole household counts (wages, pensions, other benefits and income from capital or assets). Social Security applies its own rules: some income may be only partly counted and there is an assets limit (referenced to the IAS).
Can you work and receive the RSI?
Yes. Working does not automatically rule out RSI: because the benefit is the difference between the maximum and income, having some income reduces the benefit but does not remove it while income is below the maximum. There are also rules that encourage a return to work.

Related reading & calculators

Sources

  1. 1.Portaria no. 71/2026/1, of 13 February (RSI reference value for 2026) — Diário da República · retrieved 9 Jun 2026
  2. 2.Rendimento Social de Inserção: benefit guide — Segurança Social · retrieved 9 Jun 2026

Author / Reviewed by

Author

Thorben Rasmus Idel

Co-founder & writer

Co-founder of Calculadora Capital and the writer behind the methodology on every calculator and article. An entrepreneur and active investor, Thorben founded Idel Versandhandel GmbH, an international trading company operating across 16 countries, and invests across stocks, ETFs and cryptocurrency. He writes the methodology and verifies the math behind each page, drawing on hands-on business and investing experience to keep the tools and explanations grounded in how money, markets and taxes actually work for everyday people in Portugal.

Reviewed by

Nahar Geva

Co-founder & reviewer

Co-founder of Calculadora Capital and the independent reviewer behind every calculator and article. An entrepreneur and active investor, Nahar brings a data- and product-driven mindset together with hands-on experience in the markets — investing across stocks and ETFs as well as cryptocurrency and other digital assets, alongside broader personal finance and real estate. On each page Nahar reviews the methodology and double-checks the math and figures, pressure-testing how the tools and explanations hold up against the way money, markets and taxes actually work for everyday investors.

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