Retirement age will increase to 66 years and 9 months in 2026.

Retirement age will rise by 2 months from 2025 to 2026.

The legal retirement age in Portugal will increase to 66 years and 9 months in 2026, representing an increase of two months compared to 2025. The calculations are based on provisional data from the National Statistics Institute (INE), as reported on Notícias ao Minuto.

According to the provisional numbers regarding the average life expectancy at 65 years for the triennium of 2022-2024, released by INE, it was estimated at 20.02 years, representing an increase of 0.27 years (around 3.24 months) compared to the previous period (19.75 years for 2021-2023).

Based on this data, it is possible to predict that the retirement age in 2026 will be 66 years and 9 months, an increase that reflects the direct impact of life expectancy on determining the legal retirement age.

Compare with previous years.

• In 2025, the retirement age will be 66 years and 7 months, 3 months more than in 2024.

• In 2024, the retirement age remained stable at 66 years and 4 months, the same value applied in 2023;  

• In 2023, there was an unprecedented reduction, with the retirement age decreasing by three months compared to 2022, when it was set at 66 years and 7 months.  

The decrease recorded in 2023 and the keeping of the retirement age in 2024 were influenced by the decrease in life expectancy due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a high mortality rate among the elderly population.

The provisional values of the average life expectancy at age 65, disclosed annually by INE in November, are crucial for calculating the legal retirement age in the general Social Security system, as well as the sustainability factor, which influences the calculation of the value of old-age pensions.

These indicators ensure that the retirement age keeps up with demographic trends and the evolution of the longevity of the Portuguese population.

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