Dublin, Sept. 18, 2026 (Lusa) - The government estimates public accounts will end this year with a budget surplus «close to 0», calculating that €800 million will be returned to the Portuguese people through a one-off supplement for pensioners and a reduction in personal income tax.

«Based on the figures we have today, assuming conditions remain stable […], we will have a small budget surplus, close to zero,» said Finance Minister Joaquim Miranda Sarmento.

Speaking to the Lusa news agency as he arrived for the informal meeting of eurozone finance ministers, the minister was referring to the measures approved on Thursday by the cabinet, assuring that, «based on the information available as of today, this maintains balanced public accounts by the end of the year and a reduction in public debt».

Justifying the decision on the basis of the economic and budgetary data available in September, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento pointed out that there is «fiscal scope to return €800 million to the Portuguese people – €400 million to pensioners and €400 million through income tax (IRS) for those in work».

The measure aimed at pensioners is expected to cover around two million people, whilst the income tax reduction is expected to benefit approximately 2.5 million households, according to the minister, who recalled similar measures adopted in 2024 and 2025.

«We said we would wait until September to take these two decisions,» he emphasised, acknowledging that this year's budgetary situation was initially «more challenging», particularly due to the full drawdown of loans associated with the Recovery and Resilience Plan, amounting to around €2 billion.

According to Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, the «strong budgetary results of 2025» contributed to the decision, even as new uncertainties emerged, such as the storms that hit the country at the start of the year and the current war in Iran involving Israel and the United States.

«This is a very, very significant form of support,» he concluded.

ANE/ADB // ADB.

Lusa