Rs 14,500 every 3 months for women in low-income families

The Benazir Kafaalat Programme is the main cash support scheme of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), the federal government's social safety net. It pays Rs 14,500 every quarter, meaning every three months, to women from low-income families in all provinces. The Press Information Department says it reaches about 12 million households.

BISP is federal, so it is separate from provincial schemes like Punjab's Nigehban Card. A family can be registered with both.

How much BISP pays in 2026

The Kafaalat amount was raised from Rs 13,500 to Rs 14,500 from the January–March 2026 payment. The federal government has proposed Rs 18,000 a quarter from January 2027. That increase is only proposed so far. Do not believe messages saying you will get Rs 18,000 now.

Check eligibility by 8171

• By SMS: send your 13-digit CNIC number, without dashes, to 8171. The reply tells you whether you are eligible.
• Online: enter your CNIC on the official 8171 web portal of BISP (8171.bisp.gov.pk).
• By phone: call the free BISP helpline 0800-26477.

If the reply says you are not eligible, it usually means your household either has not been surveyed, or scored above the cut-off in its last survey. The fix for both is the NSER survey below.

How to register (NSER survey)

BISP decides who is eligible using the National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER). A survey of your household produces a poverty score, the PMT score. Kafaalat is for households scoring 32 or below.

1. 1Go to your BISP Tehsil office. Mobile survey vans also visit remote areas.
2. 2Take the CNIC of the woman of the house, the CNICs of adult family members, and the B-Forms of your children. Take a death certificate if you are a widow.
3. 3The survey is done on a tablet and your fingerprints are verified.
4. 4Afterwards, check your result by sending your CNIC to 8171.

The survey is free and open all year. If your circumstances have changed, for example you lost income or had more children, you can ask for your survey to be updated.

How payments are made

BISP is moving all payments into Social Protection Digital Wallets at six partner banks, and has given beneficiaries free SIMs. According to the State Bank of Pakistan:

• Cash withdrawals cost Rs 280 each.
• RAAST and online transfers are free.
• All beneficiary accounts are due to be fully digital by 31 December 2026.

If you receive less than the full amount at a payment point, report it at your BISP Tehsil office or on 0800-26477.

Fraud warnings

• BISP messages come only from 8171. An SMS from any other number claiming to be from BISP is fake, even if it uses the BISP logo or a real officer's name.
• Registration and the survey are free. Nobody can charge you for them, or for "releasing" a payment.
• BISP never asks you to send money to get money.
• Never share the code or PIN from your payment SMS.

See: How to spot a fake government scheme website.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check my BISP payment with my CNIC?

Send your CNIC number to 8171, or enter it on 8171.bisp.gov.pk. Both are free.

Is the BISP payment Rs 14,500 or Rs 18,000?

It is Rs 14,500 a quarter as of September 2026. Rs 18,000 is a proposal for January 2027 and has not been paid.

Can a man apply for BISP?

Kafaalat is paid to the woman of the household. The household is assessed as a whole in the NSER survey.

I live in Punjab. Should I register with BISP or PSER?

Both. BISP uses the federal NSER survey. Punjab's own schemes use the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry. They are separate databases.

Sources

• Press Information Department, Government of Pakistan, 22 June 2026: BISP programme figures. Kafaalat Rs 14,500, proposed Rs 18,000 from January 2027, 12 million households, 70% attendance for Taleemi Wazaif.
• The News, 10 July 2026: BISP digitalisation. Rs 280 cash withdrawal fee, free RAAST transfers, 31 December 2026 deadline.
• ProPakistani, 12 March 2026: BISP increases Benazir Kafaalat stipend
• Benazir Income Support Programme: bisp.gov.pk. Helpline 0800-26477.