Recibos Verdes Fácil
Sick pay, parental leave and unemployment for freelancers in Portugal
Updated · income tax and social security rules for 2026
Freelancers in Portugal also get sick pay, parental leave and, in some cases, unemployment benefit. How much depends on what you contribute to social security. See what you would get.
Enter how much you invoice per month to see what each benefit would pay.
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What counts is what you contribute
Benefits are based on the contribution base recorded by Social Security, not on what you invoice. For services the base is 70% of invoicing, with the up-to-25% adjustment you choose in the quarterly declaration.
Example: invoicing €1,500 a month, you contribute on €1,050. Reference pay is €35 a day, and 30 days of sick leave pay €385. Paying only the €20 minimum leaves a base of €93.46 and €3.12 a day of sick pay.
Sick pay
| Days of sick leave | You get |
|---|---|
| 1 to 10 | Nothing (waiting period) |
| 11 to 30 | 55% of reference pay |
| 31 to 90 | 60% |
| 91 to 365 | 70% |
With a hospital stay or day surgery it is paid from day 1. The 55% and 60% go up by 5 points if reference pay is up to €500 a month or you have 3 or more children under 16. The minimum is €9.20 a day (30% of the minimum wage ÷ 30); if daily reference pay is lower, you get that instead. Freelancers are paid for up to 365 days.
Reference pay is the total of the bases for the 6 oldest of the last 8 months before the sick leave, divided by 180. You need 6 months of contributions, consecutive or not, and no social security debts up to the end of the 3rd month before. The doctor's sick note (CIT) goes to Social Security automatically.
Parental leave
The initial parental benefit uses the same 6 of the last 8 months ÷ 180 and the same 6-month qualifying period. The amount depends on the option you choose:
| Option | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 120 days, not shared | 100% |
| 150 days, not shared | 80% |
| 150 days, shared (30 days or 2 × 15) | 100% |
| 180 days, shared (30 days or 2 × 15) | 83% |
| 180 days, shared (father takes 60 days or 2 × 30) | 90% |
The minimum is €14.32 a day (80% of the IAS ÷ 30). The father's exclusive days are always paid at 100%. In the Azores and Madeira the amount is 2% higher. Contributions to another EU country's system can count towards the 6 months.
Unemployment benefit (cessação de atividade)
Only for economically dependent freelancers: more than 50% of yearly invoicing from a single client, who ends the contract against your will. You need 360 days of contributions in the previous 24 months (employment contributions count too) and must register at the job centre.
Per month you get 65% of reference pay (12 months ÷ 360) times your dependency percentage. Never less than €537.13 (1 IAS), unless net reference pay is lower, and never more than €1,342.83 (2.5 IAS) or 75% of net reference pay. How long it lasts depends on your age and months of contributions:
| Age | Fewer than 15 months | 15 to 23 months | 24 months or more | Per 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30 | 150 days | 210 days | 330 days | +30 days |
| 30 to 39 | 180 days | 330 days | 420 days | +30 days |
| 40 to 49 | 210 days | 360 days | 540 days | +45 days |
| 50 or over | 270 days | 480 days | 540 days | +60 days |
Freelancers with several clients who run out of work get no unemployment benefit. Sole traders and company managers have a separate scheme, not covered here.
Frequently asked questions
Do freelancers get sick pay in Portugal?
Yes, after 6 months of contributions and with no social security debts. It is paid from day 11, or from day 1 with a hospital stay or day surgery. In your first 12 months you do not contribute, so you are only covered if you ask to start contributing earlier or already have contributions from a job or another EU country.
How much sick pay do I get if I pay only the minimum?
Very little: the recorded base is €93.46 a month, or €3.12 a day of reference pay. As that is below the €9.20 minimum, you get the reference pay itself: about €93.60 a month.
Can I issue invoices while on sick leave?
No. Sickness benefit cannot be combined with work income. If you go back to work before the end of the sick leave, report it on Segurança Social Direta.
Are these benefits taxed?
No. Sickness, parental and unemployment (cessação de atividade) benefits pay no income tax and no social security. The months you receive them still count towards your contribution record.
Basis: Guias práticos do ISS: Subsídio de Doença (5001, v4.55, 14/07/2026; DL n.º 28/2004), Subsídio Parental Inicial (3010, v1.43, 20/05/2026; DL n.º 91/2009) e Subsídio por Cessação de Atividade para Trabalhadores Independentes Economicamente Dependentes (6007, v1.23, 21/05/2026; DL n.º 65/2012); remunerações registadas dos independentes = base de incidência (Código dos Regimes Contributivos).