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Funding restrictions to meet 2023 spending caps impact ten government departments. Recipients of the Gas Benefit are on alert. Last Saturday (5), the Federal Government announced the retention of R$1.5 billion earmarked for granting the benefit, and the concern is only intensifying among participants in the social program.
According to the Ministry of Family, Development and Social Assistance and Fight Against Hunger (MDS), the Gas Benefit will be granted in August, despite the withholding of funds. This means that beneficiaries can rest assured that they will probably receive the benefit amount this month as planned.
Why did the funds get withheld?
Read also: Bolsa Família announces the introduction of debit cards to facilitate payments
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In essence, the Federal Government was forced to withhold a portion of the funds due to the limit established by the 2023 spending cap. The fiscal rule, established during the term of former President Michel Temer, restricts the expansion of most public spending to the country's accumulated inflation in the 12 months up to June of the previous year.
The spending cap is Brazil's main fiscal control tool. This is because the government can only spend up to the spending cap limit. If there are higher expenditures, the government must restrict other funds to avoid exceeding the cap, or it may commit a tax crime.
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How will the government pay the Gas Benefit?
The amount of the withholding, R$1.5 billion, did not only impact the Gas Benefit. In fact, ten ministries suffered from this funding cut, mainly the Health and Education ministries, which account for half of the amount of the withheld funds.
According to the MDS, the retention on the Gas Benefit was R$144 million. However, this amount will not be effectively retained because the government has restructured the budget. Therefore, the payment of the August installment should not undergo any change.
The MDS also reported that the expense retained in relation to the Gas Benefit “will only be executed in December”. However, the government is expected to release all the department’s funds by the end of the year.
“If the release of the Federal Budget is insufficient, the MDS will restructure resources from other discretionary actions to guarantee the payment of the Gas Benefit, following the directive of the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to ensure that federal resources reach those who need them most,” the department said in a statement.
Learn more about the Gas Benefit
The Federal Government invests billions of reais in various social programs in the country, with the aim of helping families in situations of social vulnerability. One of the main benefits is the Gas Benefit, which helps millions of Brazilians to buy cooking gas.
In June, the Federal Government disbursed a portion of R$$ 109 to 5.62 million people. In short, the transfers are made through Caixa Econômica Federal, which has a long-standing partnership with the government, making payments for social benefits and labor rights.
This year, the government has assured the transfer of 100% of the national average price of a 13-kilo gas cylinder to beneficiaries. According to the MDS, payments will occur normally in August and should benefit a similar number of participants across the country.
August Payment Schedule
Please note that the federal government did not make the benefit payment in July and the resumption of payments will take place in August. In short, the Gas Benefit is bimonthly, that is, the payment is made every two months. Since the last installment was released in June, the next one will only be made available this month.
Until 2024, the government will continue to make transfers in October and December, following the bimonthly payment logic. The distribution of the amounts follows the final numbering of the Social Identification Number (NIS), in the last 10 business days of the month. Thus, a new group has access to the amount in their accounts each business day.
Check below the Gas Benefit payment schedule for August 2023:
- NIS ending 1: August 18 (Friday);
- NIS ending 2: August 21 (Monday);
- NIS ending 3: August 22 (Tuesday);
- NIS ending 4: August 23 (Wednesday);
- NIS ending 5: August 24 (Thursday);
- NIS ending 6: August 25 (Friday);
- NIS ending 7: August 28 (Monday);
- NIS ending 8: August 29 (Tuesday);
- NIS ending at 9:30 August (Wednesday);
- NIS ending at 0: August 31 (Thursday).
How to check the status online?
Families will only be able to participate in social programs, such as the Gas Benefit and Bolsa Família, through the NIS and registration in CadÚnico. It is worth noting that the granting of one benefit does not exclude the other. In fact, those who receive Bolsa Família have a greater chance of being approved for the Gas Benefit.
To find out if someone will receive the benefit, as well as the amount of the August installment, just keep an eye on the federal government's official channels:
- Caixa Tem (Android or iOS);
- Bolsa Família (Android or iOS);
- CadÚnico (Android or iOS).
