Bolsa Família

Lula's Bolsa Família Proposal Implies Changes for Single Beneficiaries

Published on 29/08/2023 4 min read

Here are the new guidelines associated with the program.

To refresh your memory, Bolsa Família was created in 2003. During that period, Brazil was at the beginning of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's first presidential administration.

That said, we can assess the lasting trajectory of Bolsa Família nationwide. Of course, a project of this scale naturally undergoes changes over the years. When it comes to supporting families in need, this is no exception.

In 2021, at the request of then-president Jair Messias Bolsonaro, the program changed its name to Auxílio Brasil. However, this change lasted only about two years. The reason for returning to the original name is that, upon taking command of Brazil for the third time, President Lula launched a Provisional Measure that restored the program's former name.

However, the changes were not limited to the program's title. In 2023, Lula also reinstated certain old guidelines in Bolsa Família. Currently, for example, young people must keep their vaccinations up to date.

Likewise, this segment of the population needs to attend school while maintaining an attendance rate of 75%. Another rule that Lula brought back stipulates that pregnant Bolsa Família beneficiaries attend prenatal checkups.

Understand the guidelines for those who live alone and receive Bolsa Família.

At the beginning of this year, the Federal Government of Brazil began a detailed analysis of the Bolsa Família program. This move aimed to investigate possible inconsistencies in payments related to the program.

Since the beginning of this detailed review, more than two million beneficiaries have had their Bolsa Família payments paused. A large portion of these numbers belonged to households with a single resident.

For those beneficiaries who live alone and still receive Bolsa Família, the Ministry of Development and Social Assistance has just issued a crucial notice. Now, cities throughout Brazil may allocate only sixteen percent of the Bolsa Família amount to those who live alone. If a city has a percentage of one-person households greater than sixteen percent, the government will block the addition of new beneficiaries to the program.