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Program

Bolsa Família Program

Problem
Poverty and extreme poverty, with federal income transfer actions divided among separate programs, such as Bolsa Escola, Bolsa Alimentação, Auxílio-Gás, and the PNAA.
Who it serves
Under the 2004 law, families in poverty and extreme poverty; since Law No. 14,601/2023, families registered in the CadÚnico with a monthly per capita family income equal to or less than R$218.00.
How it works
Income transfer to families, created by MP 132/2003 and converted by the National Congress into Law 10,836/2004, unifying the management and execution of earlier federal programs, among them Bolsa Escola (2001) and Auxílio-Gás (2002), created under the Fernando Henrique Cardoso government, and the PNAA (2003). Decentralized execution and management among the federated entities, with Caixa as the operating agent. In 2021, Law 14,284 repealed the 2004 law and instituted Auxílio Brasil; Law 14,601/2023 instituted Bolsa Família again.

Income and social protectionFight against hunger

Relation to the Lula governments

Merged earlier initiatives · First term (2003 to 2006) · since October 2003

The Bolsa Família Program was created by Provisional Measure No. 132 of October 20, 2003, signed by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and José Dirceu de Oliveira e Silva.[1]

According to the creating legislation, the purpose of Bolsa Família is the unification of the management and execution procedures of the Federal Government's income transfer actions, especially those of Bolsa Escola (Law 10,219/2001), the National Food Access Program (PNAA), Bolsa Alimentação (MP 2,206-1/2001), Auxílio-Gás (Decree 4,102/2002), and the Single Registry (Cadastramento Único) (Decree 3,877/2001).[2]

MP 132/2003 (art. 9) and Law 10,836/2004 (art. 11) prohibited new grants of benefits in each of the unified programs; the beneficiaries of those programs would stop receiving them upon moving to Bolsa Família.[3]

Resumed under Lula · Third term (since 2023) · since March 2023

Law No. 14,284 of December 29, 2021, signed into law by Jair Messias Bolsonaro, instituted the Auxílio Brasil Program to replace Bolsa Família and repealed Law No. 10,836/2004.[4]

Provisional Measure No. 1,164 of March 2, 2023, signed by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, instituted the Bolsa Família Program in the MDS to replace the Auxílio Brasil Program.[5]

MP 1,164/2023 was converted into Law No. 14,601 of June 19, 2023, signed into law by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, which institutes the Bolsa Família Program to replace the Auxílio Brasil Program.[6]

Reshaped under Lula · Third term (since 2023) · since 2023

Law No. 14,601/2023 (art. 7, § 1) set, among the benefits of Bolsa Família: the Citizenship Income Benefit (Benefício de Renda de Cidadania) of R$142.00 per member, for all beneficiary families; the Complementary Benefit (Benefício Complementar), for families whose sum of citizenship income benefits is less than R$600.00, calculated as the difference up to that amount; the Early Childhood Benefit (Benefício Primeira Infância) of R$150.00 per child aged 0 to under 7; and the Variable Family Benefit (Benefício Variável Familiar) of R$50.00, for families with pregnant women, nursing mothers, children aged 7 to under 12, or adolescents aged 12 to under 18, calculated per family member who falls under those cases (art. 7, § 5). The law allows an act of the federal Executive Branch to change these amounts (art. 7, § 3).[7]

Under Law No. 14,601/2023 (art. 5), families registered in the CadÚnico whose monthly per capita family income is equal to or less than R$218.00 are eligible for Bolsa Família.[8]

Origin and precursors

Origin milestone: founding legal act, First term (2003 to 2006).

The Bolsa Família Program was created by Provisional Measure No. 132 of October 20, 2003, signed by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and José Dirceu de Oliveira e Silva.[1]

Precursors

  • Bolsa Escola (Law 10,219/2001) merged into the new initiative Bolsa Escola was created by Law No. 10,219 of April 11, 2001 (conversion of MP 2,140-1/2001), signed into law by Fernando Henrique Cardoso.[9]
  • Auxílio-Gás (Decree 4,102/2002) merged into the new initiative Auxílio-Gás was instituted by Decree No. 4,102 of January 24, 2002, signed by Fernando Henrique Cardoso. The decree was later repealed by Decree No. 6,392/2008.[10]
  • National Food Access Program, Cartão Alimentação (Law 10,689/2003) merged into the new initiative The National Food Access Program (PNAA) was created by Law No. 10,689 of June 13, 2003 (conversion of MP 108/2003), signed into law by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. That is, it is a predecessor created within the Lula government itself.[11]
  • Fragmented transfer programs, according to Statement of Reasons 47/2003 merged into the new initiative Statement of Reasons No. 47/2003 of the Casa Civil (Chief of Staff's Office), which accompanied MP 132, states that the federal income transfer programs implemented from 2001 onward (Bolsa Escola, Bolsa Alimentação, and Auxílio-Gás) arose independently and were not planned to form an integrated whole.[12]
  • Single Registration (Decree 3,877/2001) earlier technical basis Decree No. 3,877 of July 24, 2001, signed by Fernando Henrique Cardoso, instituted the Single Registry (Cadastramento Único) for federal government social programs; the data would be processed by Caixa Econômica Federal (Caixa), which would assign the social identification number.[13]

Precursor investigation: successor to earlier initiatives (October 13, 2026).

Scope: Norms and statements of reasons at the Planalto, publications of the ministries and oversight bodies, searches recorded in the dossier (research of October 13, 2026). The norm declares the unification of the previous programs and prohibits new grants in them; it also creates its own steering council and basic benefit.

Responsibilities

  • Caixa Econômica Federal (Caixa) financial operation

    Law 10,836/2004 assigned to Caixa Econômica Federal (Caixa) the role of operating agent of Bolsa Família, in exchange for remuneration agreed upon with the federal government. According to the Statement of Reasons, Caixa would be responsible for the Cadastro Único and for the payment of benefits.[14]

  • States, Federal District, and municipalities (decentralized management) municipal implementation

    Under Law 10,836/2004, the execution and management of Bolsa Família are decentralized, through a combination of efforts among the federated entities, and social oversight is carried out, at the local level, by a council or committee set up by the municipal government.[15]

  • Sectoral ministries (Statement of Reasons 47/2003) federal management

    According to Statement of Reasons No. 47/2003, the Ministries of Health, Education, and Social Assistance and the Office of the Extraordinary Minister of Food Security would be responsible for regulating and monitoring the conditionalities; the states could provide technical and logistical support and take part in funding and coordination, and the municipalities in implementation.[16]

  • National Congress (conversion of MP 132) legislative approval

    Law 10,836/2004, the conversion of MP 132/2003, was decreed by the National Congress and signed into law by the President of the Republic.[17]

Timeline

Timeline of Bolsa Família Program
DatePhaseWhat happened
October 20, 2003Legal actProvisional Measure 132 creates the program.[1]
January 9, 2004Legal actConversion of the MP into Law 10,836.[18]
December 29, 2021TerminationLaw 14,284 institutes Auxílio Brasil to replace Bolsa Família (Bolsonaro government).[4]
March 2, 2023RelaunchProvisional Measure 1,164 institutes Bolsa Família again.[5]
June 19, 2023Legal actConversion of the MP into Law 14,601.[6]

What was established

MP 132/2003 created, as a body of immediate advisory support to the President of the Republic, the Interministerial Management Council of the Bolsa Família Program, with the purpose of formulating and integrating public policies and defining guidelines, rules, and procedures on the development and implementation of the Bolsa Família Program.[19]

MP No. 132 of October 20, 2003 created the basic benefit, intended for family units in extreme poverty, of R$50.00 per month, granted to families with per capita income of up to R$50.00; and the variable benefit, intended for family units in poverty and extreme poverty that include pregnant women, nursing mothers, children between zero and twelve years old, and adolescents up to fifteen years old, of R$15.00 per beneficiary, up to a limit of R$45.00 per family, granted to families with per capita income of up to R$100.00. The amounts and the poverty references could be changed by the Executive Branch (art. 2, § 5). The Statement of Reasons says that the basic benefit would be granted to all families in extreme poverty, regardless of the number of children.[20]

How it works

In the original wording of art. 2 of Law No. 10,836/2004, the program had two benefits: the basic benefit, intended for families in extreme poverty, of R$50.00 per month, granted to families with per capita income of up to R$50.00; and the variable benefit, intended for families in poverty and extreme poverty with pregnant women, nursing mothers, children between 0 and 12 years old, or adolescents up to 15 years old, of R$15.00 per beneficiary, up to a limit of R$45.00 per family, granted to families with per capita income of up to R$100.00.[21]

Budget and spending

Figures are nominal unless stated otherwise. Announced, authorized, committed, liquidated and paid amounts are different things and appear with the type indicated. In SIOP lines, "paid" means paid within the same fiscal year (arrears settled later are not counted), and one budget action can fund more than one program: the text says when the action is only part of a program.

In the Annual Evaluation Report of the 2004 to 2007 PPA (base year 2005), the entry for the program Conditional Income Transfer (Bolsa Família) records an authorized amount (LOA + credits) of R$6,930,420,777.00 and liquidated commitment of R$6,595,428,052.00. The amounts are for the entire program, not only the transfer to families, and are reported by the Executive Branch itself.[22]

According to the TCU Report and Preliminary Opinion on the 2007 Government Accounts, the Bolsa Família program had an authorized appropriation of R$9.207 billion, of which R$9.205 billion was liquidated, including the income transfer to families and program management, maintenance, and administration actions.[23]

In 2023, the Budget Expenditure (Orçamento da Despesa) database of the Portal da Transparência lists two income transfer actions in the MDS. In action 8442 (Bolsa Família), the element 48 row records an updated budget, committed amount, and realized (paid) amount of R$70,851,380,836.00 each; row 00 (Not informed) of the same action has updated, committed, and realized amounts of zero. In action 21DP (Auxílio Brasil, Law 14,284/2021), the element 48 row records an updated amount of R$95,460,219,230.00 and committed and realized amounts of R$95,423,608,809.00. The data only show the coexistence of the two actions in the fiscal year; they do not by themselves indicate the division by month.[24]

In 2024, in action 8442 (Bolsa Família) of the Budget Expenditure database of the Portal da Transparência, the element 48 row records an updated budget, committed amount, and realized (paid) amount of R$168,199,336,667.41 each. Row 00 (Not informed) of the same action records an updated amount of R$7,181.59 and nothing committed or realized.[25]

In 2004, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 006O (Income Transfer Directly to Families in Poverty and Extreme Poverty), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$4,814,729,130 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$4,777,229,109; in action 099A (Assistance to Families in Extreme Poverty, with Children Aged 0 to 6, for Improving Health Conditions and Combating Nutritional Deficiencies), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$881,500,000 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$818,795,975. The actions belong to program 1335 (Income Transfer with Conditionalities). Nominal values; the actions are distinct budget lines and were not added together here.[26]

In 2005, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 006O (Income Transfer Directly to Families in Poverty and Extreme Poverty (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$4,376,119,777 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$4,307,942,451; in action 099A (Assistance to Families in Extreme Poverty, with Children Aged 0 to 6, for Improving Health Conditions and Combating Nutritional Deficiencies (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$1,016,491,000 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$977,752,117; in action 0B19 (Assistance to Families in Extreme Poverty, with Children Aged 0 to 6, for Improving Health Conditions and Combating Nutritional Deficiencies (Law No. 10,836 of 2004) (Extraordinary Credit)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$1,200,000,000 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$1,100,000,000. The actions belong to program 1335 (Income Transfer with Conditionalities). Nominal values; the actions are distinct budget lines and were not added together here.[27]

In 2006, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 006O (Income Transfer Directly to Families in Poverty and Extreme Poverty (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$6,228,500,000 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$5,807,581,566; in action 099A (Assistance to Families in Extreme Poverty, with Children Aged 0 to 6, for Improving Health Conditions and Combating Nutritional Deficiencies (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$2,075,409,305 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$1,783,799,360. The actions belong to program 1335 (Income Transfer with Conditionalities). Nominal values; the actions are distinct budget lines and were not added together here.[28]

In 2007, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 006O (Income Transfer Directly to Families in Poverty and Extreme Poverty (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$8,755,556,796 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$8,755,556,442. The action belongs to program 1335 (Income Transfer with Conditionalities). Nominal values.[29]

In 2008, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 8442 (Income Transfer Directly to Families in Poverty and Extreme Poverty (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$10,548,462,345 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$10,472,865,407. The action belongs to program 1335 (Income Transfer with Conditionalities). Nominal values.[30]

In 2009, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 8442 (Income Transfer Directly to Families in Poverty and Extreme Poverty (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$11,844,280,000 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$11,734,280,000. The action belongs to program 1335 (Income Transfer with Conditionalities). Nominal values; the amount paid does not include carryover payables (restos a pagar).[31]

In 2010, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 8442 (Income Transfer Directly to Families in Poverty and Extreme Poverty (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$13,457,000,000 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$13,457,000,000. The action belongs to program 1335 (Income Transfer with Conditionalities). Nominal values; the amount paid does not include carryover payables (restos a pagar).[32]

In 2025, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 8442 (Direct and Conditional Income Transfer to Families Benefiting from the Bolsa Família Program), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$158,218,126,371 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$158,185,670,562. The action belongs to program 5128 (Bolsa Família: Social Protection through Income Transfer and the Coordination of Public Policies). Nominal values; the amount paid does not include carryover payables (restos a pagar).[33]

In 2023, according to the open budget data (SIOP), action 21DP (Income Transfer for the Benefits and Assistance of the Auxílio Brasil Program (Law No. 14,284 of December 29, 2021)), of program 5035 (Promotion of citizenship through Auxílio Brasil and the coordination of Public Policies), had an initial appropriation of R$175,724,924,880, an authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$95,471,076,730, and an amount paid in the fiscal year of R$95,434,466,309. In the same fiscal year, Bolsa Família action 8442 had an initial appropriation of zero and an amount paid of R$70,851,380,836. The data show the execution in the two actions; they do not tell, by themselves, which months or benefits each one paid, and the two were not added together here. Nominal values, without carryover payables (restos a pagar).[34]

Beneficiaries

Annual flow, a monthly stock and a cumulative total cannot be added together.

According to the Annual Evaluation Report of the 2004 to 2007 PPA (base year 2005), in December 2005 Bolsa Família served 8.7 million families; at the end of 2005 there were also 5.29 million beneficiary families of remaining programs (Bolsa Escola, Bolsa Alimentação, Cartão Alimentação, and Auxílio Gás). Data reported by the Executive Branch itself.[35]

According to the TCU Report and Preliminary Opinion on the 2010 Government Accounts, in December 2010 the program's coverage reached 98.33% of poor families, about 12.78 million families, based on a budget execution that the report describes as on the order of R$14 billion.[36]

According to the MDS Information Report (Relatório de Informações, RI), Bolsa Família had 19,295,378 families in September 2026, based on the Physical/Financial Statement of the Bolsa Família Program (SENARC).[37]

In the MDS MI Social database (SAGICAD), the sum, calculated by the query service itself, of the field for Bolsa Família beneficiary families (qtd_familias_beneficiarias_bolsa_familia) in the records for December 2004 (anomes 200412) is 6571839.0 families; 5560 records have the data and 11 do not. The value refers to the month filtered in the query, not to an annual total.[38]

In the MDS MI Social database (SAGICAD), the sum, calculated by the query service itself, of the field for Bolsa Família beneficiary families (qtd_familias_beneficiarias_bolsa_familia) in the records for December 2005 (anomes 200512) is 8700445.0 families; 5564 records have the data and 7 do not. The value refers to the month filtered in the query, not to an annual total.[39]

Impact evaluations

Evaluations with a causal design are flagged; association is not proof of effect.

According to the study by Rasella et al. (The Lancet, 2013), a mixed ecological design in 2,853 municipalities over the period 2004 to 2009, with fixed-effects panel models adjusted for covariates and for the Family Health Program, mortality among children under 5, overall and from poverty-related causes, decreased as Bolsa Família coverage increased; the rate ratio for consolidated coverage was 0.83.[40]

According to Ipea (Institute for Applied Economic Research) Discussion Paper (Texto para Discussão) 2499 (2019), which uses the PNAD from 2001 to 2015 and the Continuous PNAD for 2016 and 2017 and compares the situation before and after transfers, about 70% of the program's resources reach the poorest 20%, and the transfers reduce poverty by 15% and extreme poverty by 25%; in 2017, this corresponded to 3.4 million people out of extreme poverty and 3.2 million out of poverty.[41]

Audits

In Ruling 2342/2023-Plenary (integrated audit of the Cadastro Único), the TCU recorded that home verifications in 2,662 families, a statistically representative sample of Bolsa Família beneficiaries, found income inconsistencies in 40.3% and family composition inconsistencies in 33.4% of the families, which led to the ineligibility of 22.5% of them, with an estimated R$14.24 billion paid outside the criteria from January to May 2023.[42]

In Ruling 1361/2026-Plenary (session of May 27, 2026), on an operational audit of the Bolsa Família conditionalities, the rapporteur's vote summarizes Finding 2 as a high rate of beneficiaries not located: in education, 13.7% (about 5.2 million); in health, 35.8% of children and 11.1% of women are not followed up. The team's report, in the same finding, reports 13.7% in education, about 5.2 million people in May 2024, and, with data from the second half of 2024, 35.5% of children (6.7 million) and 11.1% of women (5.5 million) not followed up; the difference between 35.8% and 35.5% is in the document itself.[43]

Limitations

According to Ipea (Institute for Applied Economic Research) Discussion Paper 2499, in 2017 no fewer than 64% of the beneficiaries who were extremely poor before the PBF remained in that same condition after the transfer; the conclusions suggest that the main limit on its impact on poverty is not targeting, but the low value of the transfers.[44]

Context

An official MDA publication says that Provisional Measure No. 108 of February 27, 2003 created the National Food Access Program, Cartão Alimentação, and highlights the incorporation of the Cartão Alimentação Program into Bolsa Família.[45]

Responsibilities

In 2009, provisions added to Law 10,836 by Provisional Measure No. 462 of 2009 came to provide for the voluntary adhesion of the States, the Federal District, and the Municipalities to the Bolsa Família Program and the mandatory transfer, by the Union, of resources to the federated entities that adhere, provided that they reach minimum IGD indices.[46]

Related indicators

A change in an indicator during a term does not, by itself, prove an effect of the program.

Sources and evidence

Excerpts are quoted in the original language of the source.

  1. 1. The Bolsa Família Program was created by Provisional Measure No. 132 of October 20, 2003, signed by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and José Dirceu de Oliveira e Silva.

    • Medida Provisória nº 132, de 20 de outubro de 2003 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 1, caput (text struck through on the Planalto site due to loss of validity/conversion). Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Art. 1o Fica criado, no âmbito da Presidência da República, o Programa Bolsa Família, destinado às ações de transferência de renda com condicionalidades.”
    • Medida Provisória nº 132, de 20 de outubro de 2003 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: closing and signatures. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Brasília, 20 de outubro de 2003; 182º da Independência e 115º da República. LUIZ INÁCIO LULA DA SILVA José Dirceu de Oliveira e Silva”

  2. 2. According to the creating legislation, the purpose of Bolsa Família is the unification of the management and execution procedures of the Federal Government's income transfer actions, especially those of Bolsa Escola (Law 10,219/2001), the National Food Access Program (PNAA), Bolsa Alimentação (MP 2,206-1/2001), Auxílio-Gás (Decree 4,102/2002), and the Single Registry (Cadastramento Único) (Decree 3,877/2001).

    • Medida Provisória nº 132, de 20 de outubro de 2003 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 1, sole paragraph. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “tem por finalidade a unificação dos procedimentos de gestão e execução das ações de transferência de renda do Governo Federal, especialmente as do Programa Nacional de Renda Mínima vinculado à Educação - "Bolsa Escola", instituído pela Lei n o 10.219, de 11 de abril de 2001 , do Programa Nacional de Acesso à Alimentação - PNAA,”
    • Medida Provisória nº 132, de 20 de outubro de 2003 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 1, sole paragraph (continuation). Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “"Bolsa Alimentação", instituído pela Medida Provisória n o 2.206-1, de 6 de setembro de 2001, do Programa Auxílio-Gás, instituído pelo Decreto n o 4.102, de 24 de janeiro de 2002 , e do Cadastramento Único do Governo Federal, instituído pelo Decreto n o 3.877, de 24 de julho de 2001.”

  3. 3. MP 132/2003 (art. 9) and Law 10,836/2004 (art. 11) prohibited new grants of benefits in each of the unified programs; the beneficiaries of those programs would stop receiving them upon moving to Bolsa Família.

    • Medida Provisória nº 132, de 20 de outubro de 2003 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 9. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Art. 9 o Ficam vedadas as concessões de novos benefícios no âmbito de cada um dos programas a que se refere o parágrafo único do art. 1 o .”
    • Medida Provisória nº 132, de 20 de outubro de 2003 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 2, § 6. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “§ 6 o Os atuais beneficiários dos programas a que se refere o parágrafo único do art. 1 o , na medida em que passarem a receber os benefícios do Programa Bolsa Família, deixarão de receber os benefícios daqueles programas.”
    • Lei nº 10.836, de 9 de janeiro de 2004 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 11, caput. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Art. 11. Ficam vedadas as concessões de novos benefícios no âmbito de cada um dos programas a que se refere o parágrafo único do art. 1º .”

  4. 4. Law No. 14,284 of December 29, 2021, signed into law by Jair Messias Bolsonaro, instituted the Auxílio Brasil Program to replace Bolsa Família and repealed Law No. 10,836/2004.

    • Lei nº 14.284, de 29 de dezembro de 2021 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 1 (original wording, struck through on the Planalto site). Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Esta Lei institui o Programa Auxílio Brasil e o Programa Alimenta Brasil, em substituição ao Programa Bolsa Família, de que trata a Lei nº 10.836, de 9 de janeiro de 2004, e ao Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos, de que trata o art. 19 da Lei nº 10.696, de 2 de julho de 2003”
    • Lei nº 14.284, de 29 de dezembro de 2021 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: closing and signatures. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Brasília, 29 de dezembro de 2021; 200o da Independência e 133o da República. JAIR MESSIAS BOLSONARO”

  5. 5. Provisional Measure No. 1,164 of March 2, 2023, signed by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, instituted the Bolsa Família Program in the MDS to replace the Auxílio Brasil Program.

    • Medida Provisória nº 1.164, de 2 de março de 2023 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 1, caput. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Art. 1º Fica instituído o Programa Bolsa Família, no âmbito do Ministério do Desenvolvimento e Assistência Social, Família e Combate à Fome, em substituição ao Programa Auxílio Brasil, instituído pela Lei nº 14.284, de 29 de dezembro de 2021.”
    • Medida Provisória nº 1.164, de 2 de março de 2023 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: closing and signatures. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Brasília, 2 de março de 2023; 202º da Independência e 135º da República. LUIZ INÁCIO LULA DA SILVA José Wellington Barroso de Araujo Dias Fernando Haddad Simone Nassar Tebet”

  6. 6. MP 1,164/2023 was converted into Law No. 14,601 of June 19, 2023, signed into law by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, which institutes the Bolsa Família Program to replace the Auxílio Brasil Program.

    • Lei nº 14.601, de 19 de junho de 2023 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: header and art. 1, caput. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “LEI Nº 14.601, DE 19 DE JUNHO DE 2023 Vigência Conversão da Medida Provisória nº 1.164, de 2023 [...] Art. 1º Fica instituído o Programa Bolsa Família, no âmbito do Ministério do Desenvolvimento e Assistência Social, Família e Combate à Fome, em substituição ao Programa Auxílio Brasil”
    • Lei nº 14.601, de 19 de junho de 2023 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: closing and signatures. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Brasília, 19 de junho de 2023; 202o da Independência e 135o da República. LUIZ INÁCIO LULA DA SILVA José Wellington Barroso de Araujo Dias Fernando Haddad Simone Nassar Tebet”

  7. 7. Law No. 14,601/2023 (art. 7, § 1) set, among the benefits of Bolsa Família: the Citizenship Income Benefit (Benefício de Renda de Cidadania) of R$142.00 per member, for all beneficiary families; the Complementary Benefit (Benefício Complementar), for families whose sum of citizenship income benefits is less than R$600.00, calculated as the difference up to that amount; the Early Childhood Benefit (Benefício Primeira Infância) of R$150.00 per child aged 0 to under 7; and the Variable Family Benefit (Benefício Variável Familiar) of R$50.00, for families with pregnant women, nursing mothers, children aged 7 to under 12, or adolescents aged 12 to under 18, calculated per family member who falls under those cases (art. 7, § 5). The law allows an act of the federal Executive Branch to change these amounts (art. 7, § 3).

    • Lei nº 14.601, de 19 de junho de 2023 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 7, § 1, item I. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “I - Benefício de Renda de Cidadania, no valor de R$ 142,00 (cento e quarenta e dois reais) por integrante, destinado a todas as famílias beneficiárias do Programa Bolsa Família;”
    • Lei nº 14.601, de 19 de junho de 2023 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 7, § 1, item II. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “II - Benefício Complementar, destinado às famílias beneficiárias do Programa Bolsa Família cuja soma dos valores relativos aos benefícios financeiros de que trata o inciso I deste parágrafo seja inferior a R$ 600,00 (seiscentos reais), calculado pela diferença entre este valor e a referida soma;”
    • Lei nº 14.601, de 19 de junho de 2023 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 7, § 1, items III and IV (caput). Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “III - Benefício Primeira Infância, no valor de R$ 150,00 (cento e cinquenta reais) por criança, destinado às famílias beneficiárias que possuírem, em sua composição, crianças com idade entre 0 (zero) e 7 (sete) anos incompletos; IV - Benefício Variável Familiar, no valor de R$ 50,00 (cinquenta reais), destinado às famílias beneficiárias que possuírem, em sua composição:”
    • Lei nº 14.601, de 19 de junho de 2023 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 7, § 1, item IV, subitems a to d. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “a) gestantes; b) nutrizes; c) crianças com idade entre 7 (sete) anos e 12 (doze) anos incompletos; ou d) adolescentes, com idade entre 12 (doze) anos e 18 (dezoito) anos incompletos;”
    • Lei nº 14.601, de 19 de junho de 2023 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 7, § 5. Accessed October 14, 2026.
      “§ 5º O Benefício Variável Familiar será calculado por integrante familiar que se enquadrar nas hipóteses previstas no inciso IV do § 1º deste artigo.”
    • Lei nº 14.601, de 19 de junho de 2023 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 7, § 3, I and II. Accessed October 14, 2026.
      “§ 3º Ato do Poder Executivo federal poderá alterar: I - os valores dos benefícios financeiros de que tratam os incisos I, III e IV do § 1º deste artigo; II - o valor de referência de R$ 600,00 (seiscentos reais) de que trata o inciso II do § 1º deste artigo;”

  8. 8. Under Law No. 14,601/2023 (art. 5), families registered in the CadÚnico whose monthly per capita family income is equal to or less than R$218.00 are eligible for Bolsa Família.

    • Lei nº 14.601, de 19 de junho de 2023 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 5, caput and items I and II. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Art. 5º São elegíveis ao Programa Bolsa Família as famílias: I - inscritas no CadÚnico; e II - cuja renda familiar per capita mensal seja igual ou inferior a R$ 218,00 (duzentos e dezoito reais).”

  9. 9. Bolsa Escola was created by Law No. 10,219 of April 11, 2001 (conversion of MP 2,140-1/2001), signed into law by Fernando Henrique Cardoso.

    • Lei nº 10.219, de 11 de abril de 2001 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 1, caput. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Art. 1o Fica criado, nos termos desta Lei, o Programa Nacional de Renda Mínima vinculada à educação - "Bolsa Escola".”
    • Lei nº 10.219, de 11 de abril de 2001 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: closing and signatures. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Brasília, 11 de abril de 2001; 180o da Independência e 113o da República. FERNANDO HENRIQUE CARDOSO Pedro Malan Paulo Renato Souza Martus Tavares”
    • Lei nº 10.219, de 11 de abril de 2001 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: header. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “10.219, DE 11 DE ABRIL DE 2001. Conversão da MPv nº 2.140-1, de 2001”

  10. 10. Auxílio-Gás was instituted by Decree No. 4,102 of January 24, 2002, signed by Fernando Henrique Cardoso. The decree was later repealed by Decree No. 6,392/2008.

    • Decreto nº 4.102, de 24 de janeiro de 2002 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 1 and repeal note in the header. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “DECRETO Nº 4.102, DE 24 DE JANEIRO DE 2002 (Revogado pelo Decreto nº 6.392, de 2008) [...] Art. 1o Fica instituído o programa "Auxílio-Gás", destinado a subsidiar o preço do gás liqüefeito de petróleo às famílias de baixa renda.”
    • Decreto nº 4.102, de 24 de janeiro de 2002 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: closing and signatures. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Brasília, 24 de janeiro de 2002; 181o da Independência e 114o da República. FERNANDO HENRIQUE CARDOSO José Jorge Pedro Parente”

  11. 11. The National Food Access Program (PNAA) was created by Law No. 10,689 of June 13, 2003 (conversion of MP 108/2003), signed into law by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. That is, it is a predecessor created within the Lula government itself.

    • Lei nº 10.689, de 13 de junho de 2003 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 1, caput. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Fica criado o Programa Nacional de Acesso à Alimentação – PNAA, vinculado às ações dirigidas ao combate à fome e à promoção da segurança alimentar e nutricional.”
    • Lei nº 10.689, de 13 de junho de 2003 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: closing and signatures. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Brasília, 13 de junho de 2003; 182o da Independência e 115o da República. LUIZ INÁCIO LULA DA SILVA José Graziano da Silva”
    • Lei nº 10.689, de 13 de junho de 2003 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: header. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “10.689, DE 13 DE JUNHO DE 2003. Mensagem de veto Vide texto compilado Conversão da MPv nº 108, de 2003”

  12. 12. Statement of Reasons No. 47/2003 of the Casa Civil (Chief of Staff's Office), which accompanied MP 132, states that the federal income transfer programs implemented from 2001 onward (Bolsa Escola, Bolsa Alimentação, and Auxílio-Gás) arose independently and were not planned to form an integrated whole.

    • Exposição de Motivos nº 47/C.CIVIL-PR, de 20 de outubro de 2003 (MP 132/2003) · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: paragraph 2. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Os programas dessa natureza implementados no âmbito do Governo Federal, a partir de 2001, como os Programas Bolsa Escola, Bolsa Alimentação e Auxílio-Gás, não foram planejados para formar um conjunto integrado - ao contrário - nasceram de forma independente, não se constituindo em uma política dotada dos necessários atributos de complementaridade e integralidade.”

  13. 13. Decree No. 3,877 of July 24, 2001, signed by Fernando Henrique Cardoso, instituted the Single Registry (Cadastramento Único) for federal government social programs; the data would be processed by Caixa Econômica Federal (Caixa), which would assign the social identification number.

    • Decreto nº 3.877, de 24 de julho de 2001 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: summary; art. 2, caput. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Art. 2 o Os dados e as informações coletados serão processados pela Caixa Econômica Federal, que procederá à identificação dos beneficiários e atribuirá o respectivo número de identificação social, de forma a garantir a unicidade e a integração do cadastro, no âmbito de todos os programas de transferência de renda”
    • Decreto nº 3.877, de 24 de julho de 2001 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: closing. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Brasília, 24 de julho de 2001; 180 o da Independência e 113 o da República. FERNANDO HENRIQUE CARDOSO”

  14. 14. Law 10,836/2004 assigned to Caixa Econômica Federal (Caixa) the role of operating agent of Bolsa Família, in exchange for remuneration agreed upon with the federal government. According to the Statement of Reasons, Caixa would be responsible for the Cadastro Único and for the payment of benefits.

    • Lei nº 10.836, de 9 de janeiro de 2004 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 12. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Art. 12. Fica atribuída à Caixa Econômica Federal a função de Agente Operador do Programa Bolsa Família, mediante remuneração e condições a serem pactuadas com o Governo Federal, obedecidas as formalidades legais.”
    • Exposição de Motivos nº 47/C.CIVIL-PR, de 20 de outubro de 2003 (MP 132/2003) · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: paragraph on Caixa. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “A Caixa Econômica Federal atuará como agente operador do Programa, sendo responsável pelo Cadastro Único, que será progressivamente validado e atualizado, e pelo pagamento dos benefícios, interagindo de forma direta com os municípios e beneficiários, de acordo com as orientações da Secretaria Executiva.”

  15. 15. Under Law 10,836/2004, the execution and management of Bolsa Família are decentralized, through a combination of efforts among the federated entities, and social oversight is carried out, at the local level, by a council or committee set up by the municipal government.

    • Lei nº 10.836, de 9 de janeiro de 2004 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 8, caput. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Art. 8º A execução e a gestão do Programa Bolsa Família são públicas e governamentais e dar-se-ão de forma descentralizada, por meio da conjugação de esforços entre os entes federados, observada a intersetorialidade, a participação comunitária e o controle social.”
    • Lei nº 10.836, de 9 de janeiro de 2004 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 9, caput. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Art. 9º O controle e a participação social do Programa Bolsa Família serão realizados, em âmbito local, por um conselho ou por um comitê instalado pelo Poder Público municipal, na forma do regulamento.”

  16. 16. According to Statement of Reasons No. 47/2003, the Ministries of Health, Education, and Social Assistance and the Office of the Extraordinary Minister of Food Security would be responsible for regulating and monitoring the conditionalities; the states could provide technical and logistical support and take part in funding and coordination, and the municipalities in implementation.

    • Exposição de Motivos nº 47/C.CIVIL-PR, de 20 de outubro de 2003 (MP 132/2003) · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: paragraph on the ministries. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Os Ministérios da Saúde, Educação, Assistência Social e o Gabinete do Ministro Extraordinário da Segurança Alimentar e Combate à Fome serão responsáveis pela normatização das condicional idades e pela fiscalização do seu cumprimento, utilizando para esse fim suas estruturas descentralizada.”
    • Exposição de Motivos nº 47/C.CIVIL-PR, de 20 de outubro de 2003 (MP 132/2003) · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: paragraph on the states. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Os Estados terão um papel fundamental no Programa. A parceria com esses entes da federação poderá compreender desde o apoio técnico e logístico para a execução do Programa nos Municípios, até a participação no custeio e na coordenação do Programa, dependendo da situação especifica em cada Estado. Essa conjugação de esforços será complementada com a participação dos Municípios na efetiva implementação do Programa.”

  17. 17. Law 10,836/2004, the conversion of MP 132/2003, was decreed by the National Congress and signed into law by the President of the Republic.

    • Lei nº 10.836, de 9 de janeiro de 2004 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: header and preamble. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Conversão da MPv nº 132, de 2003”
    • Lei nº 10.836, de 9 de janeiro de 2004 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: preamble. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Faço saber que o Congresso Nacional decreta e eu sanciono a seguinte Lei:”

  18. 18. MP No. 132/2003 was converted into Law No. 10,836 of January 9, 2004, signed into law by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, which 'creates the Bolsa Família Program'.

    • Lei nº 10.836, de 9 de janeiro de 2004 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: header and summary. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “LEI Nº 10.836, DE 9 DE JANEIRO DE 2004 Regulamento Conversão da MPv nº 132, de 2003 [...] Cria o Programa Bolsa Família e dá outras providências.”
    • Lei nº 10.836, de 9 de janeiro de 2004 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: closing and signatures. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Brasília, 9 de janeiro de 2004; 183º da Independência e 116º da República. LUIZ INÁCIO LULA DA SILVA José Dirceu de Oliveira e Silva”

  19. 19. MP 132/2003 created, as a body of immediate advisory support to the President of the Republic, the Interministerial Management Council of the Bolsa Família Program, with the purpose of formulating and integrating public policies and defining guidelines, rules, and procedures on the development and implementation of the Bolsa Família Program.

    • Medida Provisória nº 132, de 20 de outubro de 2003 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 4. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Art. 4 o Fica criado, como órgão de assessoramento imediato do Presidente da República, o Conselho Gestor Interministerial do Programa Bolsa Família, com a finalidade de formular e integrar políticas públicas, definir diretrizes, normas e procedimentos sobre o desenvolvimento e implementação do Programa Bolsa Família”
    • Medida Provisória nº 132, de 20 de outubro de 2003 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 5. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Art. 5 o O Conselho Gestor Interministerial do Programa Bolsa Família contará com uma Secretaria-Executiva, com a finalidade de coordenar, supervisionar, controlar e avaliar a operacionalização do Programa”

  20. 20. MP No. 132 of October 20, 2003 created the basic benefit, intended for family units in extreme poverty, of R$50.00 per month, granted to families with per capita income of up to R$50.00; and the variable benefit, intended for family units in poverty and extreme poverty that include pregnant women, nursing mothers, children between zero and twelve years old, and adolescents up to fifteen years old, of R$15.00 per beneficiary, up to a limit of R$45.00 per family, granted to families with per capita income of up to R$100.00. The amounts and the poverty references could be changed by the Executive Branch (art. 2, § 5). The Statement of Reasons says that the basic benefit would be granted to all families in extreme poverty, regardless of the number of children.

    • Medida Provisória nº 132, de 20 de outubro de 2003 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 2, §§ 1 and 2. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “valor do benefício mensal a que se refere o inciso I será de R$50,00 (cinqüenta reais) e será concedido a famílias com renda per capita de até R$ 50,00 (cinqüenta reais). § 2 o O valor do benefício mensal a que se refere o inciso II será de R$ 15,00 (quinze reais) por beneficiário, até o limite de R$ 45,00 (quarenta e cinco reais) por família beneficiada e será concedido a famílias com renda per capita de até R$ 100,00 (cem reais).”
    • Exposição de Motivos nº 47/C.CIVIL-PR, de 20 de outubro de 2003 (MP 132/2003) · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: paragraph on the basic benefit. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Com vistas a ampliar o universo de famílias beneficiárias, o benefício básico, no valor de R$ 50,00 (cinqüenta reais) mensais, será concedido a todas as famílias que se encontrem em situação de extrema pobreza, independentemente do número de filhos e da condição pessoal dos componentes da unidade familiar.”
    • Medida Provisória nº 132, de 20 de outubro de 2003 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: epigraph. Accessed October 14, 2026.
      “MEDIDA PROVISÓRIA Nº 132, DE 20 DE OUTUBRO 2003.”
    • Medida Provisória nº 132, de 20 de outubro de 2003 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 2, caput and items I and II, subitems a to d. Accessed October 14, 2026.
      “Art. 2 o Constituem benefícios financeiros do Programa, observado o disposto em regulamento: I - benefício básico: destinado a unidades familiares que se encontrem em situação de extrema pobreza; II - benefício variável: destinado a unidades familiares que se encontrem em situação de pobreza e extrema pobreza e que tenham em sua composição: a) gestantes; b) nutrizes; c) crianças entre zero e doze anos; e d) adolescentes até quinze anos.”
    • Medida Provisória nº 132, de 20 de outubro de 2003 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 2, § 5. Accessed October 14, 2026.
      “§ 5 o Os valores dos benefícios e os valores referenciais para caracterização de situação de pobreza ou extrema pobreza de que tratam os §§ 1 o e 2 o , poderão ser alterados pelo Poder Executivo, em razão da dinâmica sócio-econômica do País e de estudos técnicos sobre o tema.”

  21. 21. In the original wording of art. 2 of Law No. 10,836/2004, the program had two benefits: the basic benefit, intended for families in extreme poverty, of R$50.00 per month, granted to families with per capita income of up to R$50.00; and the variable benefit, intended for families in poverty and extreme poverty with pregnant women, nursing mothers, children between 0 and 12 years old, or adolescents up to 15 years old, of R$15.00 per beneficiary, up to a limit of R$45.00 per family, granted to families with per capita income of up to R$100.00.

    • Lei nº 10.836, de 9 de janeiro de 2004 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 2, caput, items I and II (original wording, struck through on the Planalto site). Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Art. 2º Constituem benefícios financeiros do Programa, observado o disposto em regulamento: I - o benefício básico, destinado a unidades familiares que se encontrem em situação de extrema pobreza; II - o benefício variável, destinado a unidades familiares que se encontrem em situação de pobreza e extrema pobreza e que tenham em sua composição gestantes, nutrizes, crianças entre 0 (zero) e 12 (doze) anos ou adolescentes até 15 (quinze) anos.”
    • Lei nº 10.836, de 9 de janeiro de 2004 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 2, § 2 (original wording, struck through on the Planalto site). Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “§ 2º O valor do benefício mensal a que se refere o inciso I do caput será de R$ 50,00 (cinqüenta reais) e será concedido a famílias com renda per capita de até R$ 50,00 (cinqüenta reais).”
    • Lei nº 10.836, de 9 de janeiro de 2004 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 2, § 3 (original wording, struck through on the Planalto site). Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “§ 3º O valor do benefício mensal a que se refere o inciso II do caput será de R$ 15,00 (quinze reais) por beneficiário, até o limite de R$ 45,00 (quarenta e cinco reais) por família beneficiada e será concedido a famílias com renda per capita de até R$ 100,00 (cem reais).”

  22. 22. In the Annual Evaluation Report of the 2004 to 2007 PPA (base year 2005), the entry for the program Conditional Income Transfer (Bolsa Família) records an authorized amount (LOA + credits) of R$6,930,420,777.00 and liquidated commitment of R$6,595,428,052.00. The amounts are for the entire program, not only the transfer to families, and are reported by the Executive Branch itself.

  23. 23. According to the TCU Report and Preliminary Opinion on the 2007 Government Accounts, the Bolsa Família program had an authorized appropriation of R$9.207 billion, of which R$9.205 billion was liquidated, including the income transfer to families and program management, maintenance, and administration actions.

    • Relatório e Parecer Prévio sobre as Contas do Governo da República, Exercício de 2007 · Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) Audit
      Where: PDF, p. 181 (printed numbering), section National Income Transfer Policy. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “O programa Bolsa Família teve dotação autorizada de R$ 9.207 milhões, sendo que, desse montante, R$ 9.205 milhões foram liquidados, incluídos, nesses valores, a transferência de renda diretamente às famílias, bem como outras ações destinadas à gestão, manutenção e administração do programa.”

  24. 24. In 2023, the Budget Expenditure (Orçamento da Despesa) database of the Portal da Transparência lists two income transfer actions in the MDS. In action 8442 (Bolsa Família), the element 48 row records an updated budget, committed amount, and realized (paid) amount of R$70,851,380,836.00 each; row 00 (Not informed) of the same action has updated, committed, and realized amounts of zero. In action 21DP (Auxílio Brasil, Law 14,284/2021), the element 48 row records an updated amount of R$95,460,219,230.00 and committed and realized amounts of R$95,423,608,809.00. The data only show the coexistence of the two actions in the fiscal year; they do not by themselves indicate the division by month.

  25. 25. In 2024, in action 8442 (Bolsa Família) of the Budget Expenditure database of the Portal da Transparência, the element 48 row records an updated budget, committed amount, and realized (paid) amount of R$168,199,336,667.41 each. Row 00 (Not informed) of the same action records an updated amount of R$7,181.59 and nothing committed or realized.

  26. 26. In 2004, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 006O (Income Transfer Directly to Families in Poverty and Extreme Poverty), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$4,814,729,130 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$4,777,229,109; in action 099A (Assistance to Families in Extreme Poverty, with Children Aged 0 to 6, for Improving Health Conditions and Combating Nutritional Deficiencies), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$881,500,000 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$818,795,975. The actions belong to program 1335 (Income Transfer with Conditionalities). Nominal values; the actions are distinct budget lines and were not added together here.

  27. 27. In 2005, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 006O (Income Transfer Directly to Families in Poverty and Extreme Poverty (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$4,376,119,777 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$4,307,942,451; in action 099A (Assistance to Families in Extreme Poverty, with Children Aged 0 to 6, for Improving Health Conditions and Combating Nutritional Deficiencies (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$1,016,491,000 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$977,752,117; in action 0B19 (Assistance to Families in Extreme Poverty, with Children Aged 0 to 6, for Improving Health Conditions and Combating Nutritional Deficiencies (Law No. 10,836 of 2004) (Extraordinary Credit)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$1,200,000,000 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$1,100,000,000. The actions belong to program 1335 (Income Transfer with Conditionalities). Nominal values; the actions are distinct budget lines and were not added together here.

  28. 28. In 2006, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 006O (Income Transfer Directly to Families in Poverty and Extreme Poverty (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$6,228,500,000 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$5,807,581,566; in action 099A (Assistance to Families in Extreme Poverty, with Children Aged 0 to 6, for Improving Health Conditions and Combating Nutritional Deficiencies (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$2,075,409,305 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$1,783,799,360. The actions belong to program 1335 (Income Transfer with Conditionalities). Nominal values; the actions are distinct budget lines and were not added together here.

  29. 29. In 2007, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 006O (Income Transfer Directly to Families in Poverty and Extreme Poverty (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$8,755,556,796 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$8,755,556,442. The action belongs to program 1335 (Income Transfer with Conditionalities). Nominal values.

  30. 30. In 2008, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 8442 (Income Transfer Directly to Families in Poverty and Extreme Poverty (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$10,548,462,345 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$10,472,865,407. The action belongs to program 1335 (Income Transfer with Conditionalities). Nominal values.

  31. 31. In 2009, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 8442 (Income Transfer Directly to Families in Poverty and Extreme Poverty (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$11,844,280,000 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$11,734,280,000. The action belongs to program 1335 (Income Transfer with Conditionalities). Nominal values; the amount paid does not include carryover payables (restos a pagar).

  32. 32. In 2010, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 8442 (Income Transfer Directly to Families in Poverty and Extreme Poverty (Law No. 10,836 of 2004)), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$13,457,000,000 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$13,457,000,000. The action belongs to program 1335 (Income Transfer with Conditionalities). Nominal values; the amount paid does not include carryover payables (restos a pagar).

  33. 33. In 2025, according to the open budget data (SIOP), in action 8442 (Direct and Conditional Income Transfer to Families Benefiting from the Bolsa Família Program), authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$158,218,126,371 and amount paid in the fiscal year of R$158,185,670,562. The action belongs to program 5128 (Bolsa Família: Social Protection through Income Transfer and the Coordination of Public Policies). Nominal values; the amount paid does not include carryover payables (restos a pagar).

  34. 34. In 2023, according to the open budget data (SIOP), action 21DP (Income Transfer for the Benefits and Assistance of the Auxílio Brasil Program (Law No. 14,284 of December 29, 2021)), of program 5035 (Promotion of citizenship through Auxílio Brasil and the coordination of Public Policies), had an initial appropriation of R$175,724,924,880, an authorized appropriation (law plus credits) of R$95,471,076,730, and an amount paid in the fiscal year of R$95,434,466,309. In the same fiscal year, Bolsa Família action 8442 had an initial appropriation of zero and an amount paid of R$70,851,380,836. The data show the execution in the two actions; they do not tell, by themselves, which months or benefits each one paid, and the two were not added together here. Nominal values, without carryover payables (restos a pagar).

  35. 35. According to the Annual Evaluation Report of the 2004 to 2007 PPA (base year 2005), in December 2005 Bolsa Família served 8.7 million families; at the end of 2005 there were also 5.29 million beneficiary families of remaining programs (Bolsa Escola, Bolsa Alimentação, Cartão Alimentação, and Auxílio Gás). Data reported by the Executive Branch itself.

  36. 36. According to the TCU Report and Preliminary Opinion on the 2010 Government Accounts, in December 2010 the program's coverage reached 98.33% of poor families, about 12.78 million families, based on a budget execution that the report describes as on the order of R$14 billion.

    • Relatório e Parecer Prévio sobre as Contas do Governo da República, Exercício de 2010 · Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) Audit
      Where: PDF, p. 237 to 238 (printed numbering), section Bolsa Família Program (PBF). Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Em dezembro de 2010, a partir de uma execução orçamentária da ordem de R$ 14 bilhões, a cobertura do programa atingiu 98,33% das famílias pobres no país, cerca de 12,78 milhões de famílias, chegando próximo à meta de atingir 100%.”

  37. 37. According to the MDS Information Report (Relatório de Informações, RI), Bolsa Família had 19,295,378 families in September 2026, based on the Physical/Financial Statement of the Bolsa Família Program (SENARC).

    • Relatório de Informações (RI), módulo Bolsa Família, Brasil · Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, Family and Fight against Hunger (MDS), SAGICAD Official statistics
      Where: public POST request to the RI itself with codigo=0, ibge=0 (Brazil), mes=12, ano=2023; Families table. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Famílias Dezembro/2023 21.064.289 Pessoas Dezembro/2023 55.742.366”
    • Relatório de Informações (RI), módulo Bolsa Família, Brasil · Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, Family and Fight against Hunger (MDS), SAGICAD Official statistics
      Where: public POST request to the RI itself with codigo=0, ibge=0 (Brazil), mes and ano empty (most recent month); Families table. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Famílias Setembro/2026 19.295.378 Pessoas Setembro/2026 49.645.630”
    • Relatório de Informações (RI), módulo Bolsa Família, Brasil · Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, Family and Fight against Hunger (MDS), SAGICAD Official statistics
      Where: source note of the Families table. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Fonte: Ministério do Desenvolvimento e Assistência Social, Família e Combate à Fome, SENARC, Demonstrativo Físico/Financeiro do Programa Bolsa Família.”

  38. 38. In the MDS MI Social database (SAGICAD), the sum, calculated by the query service itself, of the field for Bolsa Família beneficiary families (qtd_familias_beneficiarias_bolsa_familia) in the records for December 2004 (anomes 200412) is 6571839.0 families; 5560 records have the data and 11 do not. The value refers to the month filtered in the query, not to an annual total.

  39. 39. In the MDS MI Social database (SAGICAD), the sum, calculated by the query service itself, of the field for Bolsa Família beneficiary families (qtd_familias_beneficiarias_bolsa_familia) in the records for December 2005 (anomes 200512) is 8700445.0 families; 5564 records have the data and 7 do not. The value refers to the month filtered in the query, not to an annual total.

  40. 40. According to the study by Rasella et al. (The Lancet, 2013), a mixed ecological design in 2,853 municipalities over the period 2004 to 2009, with fixed-effects panel models adjusted for covariates and for the Family Health Program, mortality among children under 5, overall and from poverty-related causes, decreased as Bolsa Família coverage increased; the rate ratio for consolidated coverage was 0.83.

  41. 41. According to Ipea (Institute for Applied Economic Research) Discussion Paper (Texto para Discussão) 2499 (2019), which uses the PNAD from 2001 to 2015 and the Continuous PNAD for 2016 and 2017 and compares the situation before and after transfers, about 70% of the program's resources reach the poorest 20%, and the transfers reduce poverty by 15% and extreme poverty by 25%; in 2017, this corresponded to 3.4 million people out of extreme poverty and 3.2 million out of poverty.

  42. 42. In Ruling 2342/2023-Plenary (integrated audit of the Cadastro Único), the TCU recorded that home verifications in 2,662 families, a statistically representative sample of Bolsa Família beneficiaries, found income inconsistencies in 40.3% and family composition inconsistencies in 33.4% of the families, which led to the ineligibility of 22.5% of them, with an estimated R$14.24 billion paid outside the criteria from January to May 2023.

  43. 43. In Ruling 1361/2026-Plenary (session of May 27, 2026), on an operational audit of the Bolsa Família conditionalities, the rapporteur's vote summarizes Finding 2 as a high rate of beneficiaries not located: in education, 13.7% (about 5.2 million); in health, 35.8% of children and 11.1% of women are not followed up. The team's report, in the same finding, reports 13.7% in education, about 5.2 million people in May 2024, and, with data from the second half of 2024, 35.5% of children (6.7 million) and 11.1% of women (5.5 million) not followed up; the difference between 35.8% and 35.5% is in the document itself.

  44. 44. According to Ipea (Institute for Applied Economic Research) Discussion Paper 2499, in 2017 no fewer than 64% of the beneficiaries who were extremely poor before the PBF remained in that same condition after the transfer; the conclusions suggest that the main limit on its impact on poverty is not targeting, but the low value of the transfers.

  45. 45. An official MDA publication says that Provisional Measure No. 108 of February 27, 2003 created the National Food Access Program, Cartão Alimentação, and highlights the incorporation of the Cartão Alimentação Program into Bolsa Família.

    • Fome Zero: a experiência brasileira (Série NEAD Especial 12) · Ministry of Agrarian Development (MDA) / NEAD Government communication
      Where: PDF p. 63. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “A criação efetiva do programa dar-se-ia pela Medida Provisória n. 108, de 27 de fevereiro 2003, que criou o Programa Nacional de Acesso à Alimentação − Cartão Alimentação.”
    • Fome Zero: a experiência brasileira (Série NEAD Especial 12) · Ministry of Agrarian Development (MDA) / NEAD Government communication
      Where: PDF p. 10 (presentation). Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Destaca-se a incorporação do Programa Cartão Alimentação ao Bolsa Família, unificando as transferências governamentais às famílias em situação de insegurança alimentar e nutricional.”

  46. 46. In 2009, provisions added to Law 10,836 by Provisional Measure No. 462 of 2009 came to provide for the voluntary adhesion of the States, the Federal District, and the Municipalities to the Bolsa Família Program and the mandatory transfer, by the Union, of resources to the federated entities that adhere, provided that they reach minimum IGD indices.

    • Lei nº 10.836, de 9 de janeiro de 2004 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 8, § 1. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “§ 1º A execução e a gestão descentralizadas referidas no caput serão implementadas mediante adesão voluntária dos Estados, Distrito Federal e Municípios ao Programa Bolsa Família. (Incluído pela Medida Provisória nº 462, de 2009)”
    • Lei nº 10.836, de 9 de janeiro de 2004 · Presidency of the Republic (Planalto) Official legal act
      Where: art. 8, § 3. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “§ 3º A União transferirá, obrigatoriamente, aos entes federados que aderirem ao Programa Bolsa Família recursos para apoio financeiro às ações de gestão e execução descentralizada do Programa, desde que alcancem índices mínimos no IGD.”

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