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Bolsa Família is a social income transfer program created by the Federal Government in 2003 and aims to fight poverty and the social inequality, offering financial assistance to families in extreme poverty.
The program was created from the unification of several social programs, such as Bolsa Escola, Auxílio Gás and Bolsa Alimentação, and started to offer a unique benefit for families in situations of poverty and extreme poverty, based on income and family composition criteria.
The program was initially launched in 2003 under the name “Bolsa Escola” and was renamed “Bolsa Família” in 2004. Since then, it has undergone improvements and expansions, with the aim of serving more and more families and reducing poverty and social inequality in the country.
The New Bolsa Família of 2023
Replacing the previous government's Auxilio Brasil, Bolsa Família establishes the minimum amount of R$ 600.00 for families registered in the program, with the additional R$ 150.00 for anyone with a child up to 6 years old.
In addition, anyone who has a dependent between the ages of 7 and 18 will receive an extra amount of R$ 50.00. According to the new rules, to receive aid, the family must have an income of up to R$ 218.00 per person.
Payments began on March 20, 2023, and the provisional measure reinforces that the program constitutes the stage in the gradual and progressive process of universalizing basic citizenship income.
The objective of the program is to combat hunger, reduce poverty and increase social protection for families. The focus is children, teenagers and young people.
Families that are currently beneficiaries of the program receive 50% of the amount paid. In cases where income is higher than half the minimum wage, the family will be automatically disconnected from the program.
This new Bolsa Família resumes the original model, where families will have to prove that their children attend school and also that their children's vaccinations are up to date. Pregnant women will also have to undergo prenatal care, which was not required under Auxilio Brasil.
Registration and Spending Cap
The program also focuses on updating the CadÚnico for Federal Government social programs and integration with the Unified Social Assistance System (Suas), to search for new beneficiaries and also review irregular benefits.
The Provisional Measure also created the program's Federal Inspection Network and the rules are yet to be defined in regulation. It was identified that more than 1.5 million beneficiaries were receiving amounts irregularly, and were excluded from the program.
On the other hand, another 700 thousand families will receive the benefit. The new values were guaranteed by Constitutional Amendment 126, which authorized the government to increase the spending ceiling in the 2023 Budget by R$ 145 billion to cover expenses.
This increase in spending has no value for 2024. It is important to remember that Bolsa Família is aimed at families in situations of economic and social vulnerability and to be eligible, families must meet eligibility criteria.
Who can join the program and how to register?
To receive Bolsa Família, the family has a monthly income of up to R$ 218 reais per person, and the family must be registered in CadÚnico with correct and updated data.
This registration can be done at a registration point or social assistance service in the city. The registration must always be up to date, therefore, if there is a change of address, contact telephone number or family composition, the information must be updated.
This ensures that the program fully serves families. As we said above, families must fulfill their commitments in the areas of health and education, such as school attendance, prenatal care for pregnant women and keeping their vaccination records up to date.
If someone in the family gets a steady job and the monthly family income rises, there is a Protection Rule, which will be implemented from June 2023. If the income rises to the limit of half the minimum wage, the benefit will not be immediately cut.
A family can stay for up to two years in the program and will receive 50% of the benefit value, so as not to be disadvantaged. To receive more information about the benefit, there are several contact channels.
The MDS Center is open from Monday to Friday from 7am to 7pm and electronic support is available 24 hours a day. There is also Contact Us on the website where you can register your demand in the electronic form.
In the Bolsa Família application, the family responsible can consult information about their benefit such as amount, status and date of payment of your benefit.
It is important to remember that Bolsa Família is a program that was created to serve the poorest, and if there is any irregular receipt, the program will be cut and the person may be penalized.