The Minister Ana Mendes Godinho, along with the rest of the ministerial team, was being heard by the members of the Commission of Labour, Social Security and Inclusion, to whom she explained the various measures that the current government has been implementing to support families with children, namely the expansion of the network of crèches, free crèches and child benefits.

Regarding the latter, the Minister said that it will start to be paid on Friday, 16 September, to 150,000 children and youths under the age of 18 living in extreme poverty.

This social benefit was initially presented in October 2021 as a "flagship measure" to combat poverty, and will be paid monthly, in addition to the family allowance. It has automatic allocation, which families can request from Social Security.

According to figures presented today by Ana Mendes Godinho, this measure will cost 70 million euros in 2023, which, dividing the value by the 150 thousand children covered, means just over 466 euros for each.

The same amount of 70 million euros, is allocated in 2023 to increase the values of the family allowance for children in the 1st and 2nd income brackets, which will be 400,000.

26 million euros have also been earmarked to extend, in 2023, the family allowance for children in the 3rd income bracket.

According to Ana Mendes Godinho, the free day care centres, intended for children born after September 1, 2021, will benefit 46 thousand children in the 2022/2023 school year and will cost 33 million euros in 2022.