More than 6,000 people received sickness benefit each month in the Azores through July
Regional Social Security data show more than 6,000 beneficiaries in every month from January to July, with the monthly average 554 higher than in the same period of 2025.
Archived after its publication day. Search retains this original briefing for background and accountability.
Archived 12 September 2026The figures describe people covered by the benefit during each month; they do not count new medical certificates or prove how many cases were active on one particular day.
- January recorded 6,789 sickness-benefit recipients and June 6,020, the lowest monthly figure in the period.
- The average was 554 recipients a month above January–July 2025.
- The wider temporary-incapacity group averaged 8,234 beneficiaries a month when pregnancy-risk and child-care benefits are included.
- The regional institute says the increase alone does not establish fraud or a structural failure in control.
Read the unit before reading the trend
The Instituto de Segurança Social dos Açores says every month with available 2026 data had more than 6,000 recipients of sickness benefit. These are beneficiaries covered during the month, not a count of new sick notes and not a snapshot of people absent on one day.
The year-on-year increase is real within that definition, but it can be affected by employment levels, an ageing workforce and the duration of claims. It should not be converted into an absenteeism rate without the workforce denominator and comparable case-duration data.
Controls are targeted, not universal
The institute reported 107 inspections between January 2025 and August 2026, with irregularities found in 77. Most related to working while receiving sickness benefit, but the checks were risk-selected and therefore cannot be treated as a representative sample of all claims.
Workers should follow the conditions attached to the benefit and keep medical and employment records. Employers with a concern should use the proper reporting route rather than assume that a rising regional total proves wrongdoing in an individual case.
What you can do now.
- 01
Check the conditions attached to an individual benefit.
- 02
Keep medical, work and payment records together.
- 03
Do not use the regional total to judge an individual case.
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