Brazil Allows Bolsa Família Payments to Continue During BPC Application Process

A new Brazilian regulation (Instruction Normative No. 54/2026) lets families keep receiving Bolsa Família benefits while their request for the Benefício de Prestação Continuada (BPC) is being examined by the INSS. The rule requires the Bolsa Família suspension to occur only if the BPC is approved; if the BPC request is denied, families remain in Bolsa Família without having to re‑apply.

The change was formalized through an agreement signed in Brasília by the INSS, the Defensoria Pública da União, the Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, and the Attorney General’s Office. It aims to protect vulnerable households from a loss of income during the often‑lengthy BPC approval process. The BPC provides a monthly minimum‑wage payment to people aged 65 or older or persons with disabilities who meet low‑income criteria.