The imminent release of the October installment of Bolsa Família generates expectation. Beneficiaries are anxiously awaiting access to the monthly amount. In fact, an early release of the benefit for millions of people increases the anxiety among those registered.
It is worth noting that Bolsa Família is the most significant income redistribution program in Brazil. This benefit aims to support millions of individuals in situations of socioeconomic vulnerability nationwide. In September, the Federal Government allocated R$14.58 billion to ensure payment of the benefit to 21.47 million households.
Read also: Bolsa Família 2024: Clarifying rumors about its possible end.
The average amount that each registrant received reached R$$ 686.89 per month, making it the second largest monthly installment ever released by Bolsa Família, behind only June, when the average amount reached R$$ 705.
Why was the Bolsa Família amount reduced?
Essentially, the reduction in the value of Bolsa Família occurred due to the Protection Rule, which cuts by 50% the benefit granted to users whose family income exceeds the minimum established by Bolsa Família regulations.
In essence, the Protection Rule enables beneficiaries with a monthly income above R$1,218 per family member, the maximum level to receive the benefit, to remain on the list of aid payments. However, the government will only release R$501,300 of the installment amount to which users were previously entitled.
The transfers are made over a two-year period to allow beneficiaries to stabilize their finances and plan for the future without Bolsa Família. After this period, the benefit ends. In fact, the government ensures that families are reinstated in the social program if they lose their income or request to leave the program.
What will be the amount of the October installment?
First, it is important to emphasize that Bolsa Família adopts a regulation called Citizenship Income Benefit. In short, this regulation ensures the release of R$ 142 for each member of the family unit registered in the Single Registry (CadÚnico).
If the regulation were applied in isolation, families consisting of a single person would receive only R$ 142 per month. Keeping this logic, families with up to four members would be entitled to, at most, R$ 568 (R$ 142 x 4 = R$ 568) per month.
However, the federal government guarantees a minimum payment of R$1,600 for each Bolsa Família beneficiary. Therefore, the benefit amount cannot be lower than this level, except for beneficiaries who previously contracted the Auxílio Consignado, since the loan deductions directly affect the benefit amount.
This means that families with up to four members, who would theoretically be entitled to R$568, receive a supplement to the amount. In fact, the government adds to the amount so that the amount reaches R$600.
When families have more than four members, the government does not supplement the amount of the installment, as the benefit exceeds R$ 600. For example, a family of five receives R$ 710 per month (R$ 142 x 5 = R$ 710). If there are ten members, the amount of the installment reaches R$ 1,420 (R$ 142 x 10 = R$ 1,420), even exceeding the minimum wage of R$ 1,320.
Additional benefits increase the value of Bolsa Família
The amounts mentioned above constitute the basis of the benefit. However, the federal government has released several additional benefits in recent months. Therefore, many applicants have received amounts above R$1,600.
Check out the additional benefits of Bolsa Família:
- Early Childhood Benefit: Since March 2023, the government has been granting a payment of R$ 150 for each child up to six years old.
- Family Variable Benefit: ensures the release of an additional R$ 50 to children and young people aged seven to 18, in addition to pregnant and lactating women who are members of the family unit.
- Variable Benefit for Nursing Mothers: in September, the government began releasing an additional R$ 50 for family members up to seven months old, helping with the baby's nutritional development.
In practice, a family composed of two adults and three children, aged 2, 4 and 6, will be entitled to a monthly installment of R$ 710 (R$ 142 x 5 = R$ 710), plus R$ 150 for each child up to six years old (R$ 150 x 3 = R$ 450). Therefore, the benefit amount will be R$ 1,160 per month (R$ 710 + R$ 450 = R$ 1,160).
Furthermore, the amount may be even higher if there are more members who are entitled to additional benefits, such as pregnant women, babies up to seven months old or children and young people between seven and 18 years old.
Bolsa Família Calendar for October
Families can check the Bolsa Família payment dates in October. Basically, transfers follow a pattern and occur in the last ten business days of each month, according to the last digit of the users' Social Identification Number (NIS). Thus, a new group accesses the amount in their accounts each business day.
See the Bolsa Família payment schedule for October 2023:
| Payment date | NIS End |
| October 18 (Wednesday) | 1 |
| October 19 (Thursday) | 2 |
| October 20 (Friday) | 3 |
| October 23 (Monday) | 4 |
| October 24 (Tuesday) | 5 |
| October 25 (Wednesday) | 6 |
| October 26 (Thursday) | 7 |
| October 27 (Friday) | 8 |
| October 30 (Monday) | 9 |
| October 31 (Tuesday) | 0 |
To track payments, Bolsa Família beneficiaries can use the Meu INSS app, available free of charge for Android and iOS smartphones, or the official Caixa Econômica Federal website.
Read also: Is the 13th Bolsa Família payment in 2023 confirmed or not?
Bolsa Família remains a crucial part of Brazil’s social policy framework. October payments await beneficiaries, providing essential support in a scenario still impacted by economic and social challenges.
As beneficiary families prepare to receive their monthly payments, it is essential to keep in mind the program’s rules, amounts, and payment schedule. Enrollees have benefited not only from the program’s base amounts, but also from additional assistance focused on early childhood, nutrition, and support for children and adolescents, intensifying the positive impact and reach of Bolsa Família in the lives of Brazilian citizens.
