DECO and IHRU launch free advisory service for Portugal's extraordinary rent support programme
The consumer association and the state housing institute are opening phone, email and in-person channels to help households navigate the means-tested benefit, which can reach €200 per month.
The partnership
Portugal's consumer defence association DECO and the Institute for Housing and Urban Rehabilitation (IHRU) launched a partnership on 21 July 2026 to close an information gap around the Extraordinary Rent Support Programme. The service is free and targets any consumer with questions about how the benefit works, who qualifies, what procedures apply and how to track their own case.
How to access the service
Advice is available through several channels. Citizens can visit DECO's national and regional premises, its spaces in participating municipalities or its Housing and Energy counters. A dedicated phone line (21 371 02 70) and email address (habitacao@deco.pt) are open for those unable to travel. DECO stressed that the service is free of charge.
Who the support is for
The programme covers households with a rental or sub-rental contract for a primary residence signed before 15 March 2023. Applicants must have an annual income at or below the sixth IRS bracket ceiling (€41,629 in 2026) and a rent effort rate of 35% or more. The monthly payment is capped at €200 and is awarded automatically: eligible families are notified of their amount by the Tax Authority (AT) without needing to submit an application.
Why DECO stepped in
DECO said many households are living with uncertainty over a benefit that should be automatic and trouble-free. The association wants to help citizens verify their eligibility, spot errors in the calculation of the payment or in the eligibility decision, and understand deadlines, required documents and the channels for lodging a complaint. Complaints typically arise when payments stop unexpectedly or when Social Security demands a refund.
Many households are currently living in uncertainty over a support that should be automatic and without hiccups, but, for different reasons, there are difficulties in the information and in accessing it.
The broader context
DECO noted it has long argued that public housing programmes should be simple, automatic and effective. For the most vulnerable families, an unexpected interruption of the support or processing errors can significantly raise the housing effort rate. The IHRU framed the partnership as part of its mission to get closer to citizens and to widen the dissemination of information about public housing programmes, drawing on DECO's extensive experience in consumer advice.
