President excluded the requirement to prove a moderate or severe disability to grant the benefit and rejected changes to the Bolsa Família mechanism that dealt with the re-entry of beneficiaries
The president (PT) sanctioned a bill that modifies the guidelines for the Continuous Payment Benefit (), although he vetoed two important points. One of the vetoes eliminates the requirement to prove a moderate or severe disability to grant the benefit, a decision that the government justifies as a way to avoid legal uncertainty. The other veto concerns the alteration of a Bolsa Família mechanism that dealt with the re-entry of beneficiaries.
With the approval of the new rules, the Ministry of Finance announced that the changes should result in a reduction in the economic impact, estimating a cost of R$69.8 billion between 2025 and 2026, which represents a reduction of R$2.1 billion compared to the previous calculation. This change is seen as a way to optimize public spending related to the benefit.
The BPC, which currently offers an amount equivalent to a minimum wage (R$1,412), is aimed at seniors aged 65 or over and people with disabilities who are in a situation of economic vulnerability. Although the government’s initial proposal sought to tighten the conditions for accessing the benefit, the text that was approved by Congress made the rules more flexible.
Currently, those who have a disability of any degree are entitled to the BPC, as well as elderly people whose monthly per capita family income is equal to or less than a quarter of the minimum wage. The calculation of family income takes into account different sources of income, but excludes the remuneration of interns and apprentices, as well as the amounts received by Bolsa Família.
The new guidelines approved by Congress include the requirement to present the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) to prove disability, in addition to not considering the spouse’s income when evaluating the right to the benefit. The obligation to update records that are more than 24 months out of date was also established, ensuring that the granting of the BPC continues to depend on an assessment of the disability, maintaining the broad definition provided for in current legislation.
Published by Felipe Dantas
*Report produced with the help of AI
