Brazil Brings Forward December Bolsa Família Payments as Auxílio Gás Round Begins

Overview

• Deposits started Wednesday for NIS ending in 1 and continued Thursday for NIS ending in 2, with the staggered calendar running through December 23 for NIS ending in 0.
• The December Bolsa Família cycle covers about 18.7 million families at a total federal cost of R$12.74 billion, with an average household benefit of R$691.37.
• About 4.41 million families receive R$110 from Auxílio Gás this month, paid on the same NIS schedule, with the next bimonthly round set for February 2026.
• Payments were unified on December 10 for 179 municipalities regardless of NIS due to emergencies or vulnerability, including 120 in Rio Grande do Norte and 32 in Paraná.
• The government is rolling out the Gás do Povo program to replace and expand gas support, beginning with 1 million families in 10 cities and targeting roughly 15 million when fully implemented.