Bolsa Família
Bolsa Família is Brazil's national conditional cash transfer program, run by the federal Ministry of Social Development, which pays monthly benefits to low-income families whose per-capita household income is at or below R$218/month. As of February 2026 the program reached about 18.84 million families nationwide, with an average monthly benefit of roughly R$690. It is funded entirely by the Brazilian federal government. Families must register in the Cadastro Único national social registry and meet health (vaccination, prenatal care) and education (school attendance) conditionalities to keep receiving benefits. First launched in 2004 by unifying several earlier cash-transfer programs, it was rebranded Auxílio Brasil from late 2021 to March 2023 before reverting to the Bolsa Família name with an expanded benefit structure.
Conditional Cash Transfer, National Program, Poverty Reduction, Cadastro Único, Caixa Econômica Federal, Brazil
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- Ministério do Desenvolvimento e Assistência Social, Família e Combate à Fome (MDS) / Federal Government of Brazil
- City
- Brasília
- State / Province
- Distrito Federal
- Country
- Brazil
Contact
- Phone
- +55 61 2030-2266
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Active
- Application status
- Rolling
- Number of recipients
- 18,840,000
- Funding type
- Government
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- BRL
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- Ongoing / unconditional
- Yes
- Distribution Type
- Debit/benefit card (Cartão Bolsa Família via Caixa Econômica Federal), Direct Deposit (Poupança Social Digital account), Cash withdrawal via lottery outlets and CAIXA Aqui agents
- Benefit details
The program pays up to five benefit components: a Citizenship Income Benefit (BRC) of R$142/family member; a Complementary Benefit (BCO) topping up total family benefit to a R$600 monthly minimum; an Early Childhood Benefit (BPI) of R$150/child aged 0-7; a Family Variable Benefit (BVF) of R$50/pregnant or nursing woman or child/adolescent aged 7-18; and a transitional Extraordinary Benefit for families who would receive less under the 2023 rule change. Average monthly benefit as of Feb 2026: R$690.01. Recipients have up to 120 days to withdraw each monthly payment.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Families qualify if per-capita monthly household income is at or below R$218 (extreme poverty threshold), determined through Cadastro Único registration. Families can still qualify with formal employment or microentrepreneur income as long as per-capita income stays under the threshold. Enrollment is not automatic - a computerized system evaluates registered data against program rules, the municipality's estimated number of vulnerable families, and the federal budget limit. Additional per-person benefits are paid for children 0-7, pregnant/nursing women, and children/adolescents 7-18.
Geography
- Countries covered
- Brazil
Participation
- Complementary program enrollment required
- Cadastro Único (CadÚnico) registration is a mandatory prerequisite for enrollment
Application Process
- How to apply
Families apply in person at their municipality's Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (CRAS) or another Cadastro Único registration point, providing identification and household data for all family members. Registration must be kept up to date and renewed at least every two years. Registering does not guarantee immediate entry into Bolsa Família.
- Selection process
After registration in Cadastro Único, a federal computerized system evaluates the household's data against Bolsa Família's eligibility rules, the municipality's estimated number of vulnerable families, and the overall federal budget limit. Selection depends on how many families in that municipality have already been enrolled relative to local need. Once selected, the family receives a Bolsa Família card by mail issued by Caixa Econômica Federal.
