Brazil's Sedes-DF clarifies home‑visit rules for social‑program beneficiaries

The Secretariat of Social Development of the Federal District (Sedes‑DF) announced that social workers and other professionals are not prohibited from entering the homes of families receiving Bolsa Família or the Continuous Cash Benefit (BPC). Visits are carried out to update CadÚnico records and to understand the socioeconomic situation of vulnerable households, and they are not intended as inspections or punishments. The Ministry’s Instruction No. 21 requires that, when a visit takes place inside the dwelling, it should be done with the family's consent and preferably in an external area such as a yard, balcony or service space; visits cannot occur on the street.

Sedes‑DF warned that misinformation circulating on social media has led some families to refuse visits. The agency emphasized that refusing a visit may leave cadastral irregularities unresolved, jeopardizing benefit regularisation. The CadÚnico Home Service, operated by the Central of CadÚnico (Cecad) created in 2024, handles these domiciliary appointments, assists families with pending Bolsa Família payments, and serves specific population groups including Indigenous, quilombola and Roma communities.