Study reveals rise in persistent poverty among Portugal's elderly in 2025
A new study shows that persistent poverty affected a majority of those already poor in Portugal in 2025, with the highest rates now seen among people aged 65 and over.
The "Trajetórias da Pobreza e da Privação" study, released on 14 October as part of the Portugal Balanço Social project, followed 6,057 respondents from 2022 to 2025. It found that roughly 25.6% of the population fell into poverty for at least one year, with 6.9% staying poor for the full four-year span. Persistent poverty among children fell from 18.1% to 9.3% between 2015 and 2025, but the share of seniors in persistent poverty rose to 10.6%, surpassing younger age groups.
In the prior year, 9.5% of residents were at risk of persistent poverty, and among those at risk, a majority were in a persistent state. Material and social deprivation affected 21.4% of people for at least a year, with 3.4% enduring it throughout the four years, highlighting ongoing financial challenges such as inability to afford vacations, replace furniture, or meet unexpected expenses.
Why it matters
The findings highlight growing long-term poverty among Portugal's aging population, signaling a need for targeted social policies.
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