Lisbon, April 21, 2025 (Lusa) - The number of recipients in Portugal of unemployment benefits rose by 4.9% year-on-year in March, totalling 204,937, but fell by 3.2% compared to the three-year high reached in February, according to social security figures released on Monday.

Compared to the same period last year, there was an increase of 9,578 beneficiaries, which represents an increase of 4.9%, while the 3.2% drop compared to February corresponded to a decrease of 6,832 beneficiaries, details the summary of the Strategy and Planning Office (GEP) of the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security.

According to figures available on the social security website, the drop in the number of unemployment benefit recipients recorded in March interrupted a cycle of four consecutive monthly increases, but the total has remained above the 200,000 barrier since January, having reached its highest figure since January 2022 in February: 211,769 recipients, compared to 225,410 in the first month of 2022.

With regard to unemployment benefit, the number of beneficiaries totalled 163,371 in March, a year-on-year increase of 6.6% (10,163 more), but a year-on-year decrease of 2.1% (3,465 fewer beneficiaries).

According to the Strategy and Planning Office, the average monthly value of unemployment benefit in March was €689.72, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.7%.

As for the number of beneficiaries of initial unemployment benefit, it fell by 3.6% compared to March 2024 (402 fewer benefits processed) and fell by 8.0% compared to February (an increase of 953 beneficiaries), totalling 10,892.

Subsequent unemployment benefit totalled 21,672 beneficiaries in March, which corresponds to a year-on-year decrease of 2.4% (525 fewer beneficiaries), but an increase of 0.2% in monthly terms (52 more beneficiaries).

As has been the case, unemployment benefits were mostly claimed by women, corresponding to 114,616 female beneficiaries (55.9%) and 90,321 male beneficiaries (44.1%).

PD/AYLS // AYLS

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