More than 360,000 people received unemployment benefits in April this year, corresponding to just over 44% of the job seekers registered with unemployment centres.

The number receiving the allowance was 3,000 more than the previous month, and almost 70,000 more than the same month last year.

The average unemployment benefit check in April was for just over €530.

Figures from the Portuguese National Statistics Institute (INE) put unemployment at 14.9% though other sources have recently come out with figures of well over 15%.

(Photography: Jorge Firmino)