All about Vale Gás

Find out all about Vale Gás and how to find out if you are entitled to this benefit to buy cooking gas at a great discount.

Vale Gás, or Gas Aid, is a government initiative that began in 2021 but has had some adjustments and extensions over the years, and gained even more prominence during the pandemic when it was used as an emergency measure to deal with the economic and social challenges arising from complications with COVID-19.

The programme consists of distributing vouchers or pre-paid cards for the purchase of cooking gas cylinders, with a primary focus on low-income Brazilian families.

The proposal aims to offer direct financial relief to the most vulnerable sections of the population, who often struggle to afford cooking gas, the price of which has risen significantly in recent years.

By providing direct assistance for the purchase of cooking gas, the programme aims to ensure that low-income families can continue to prepare their meals safely and properly, without further compromising the household budget.

This kind of government initiative shows a genuine concern for meeting the basic needs of the population in times of crisis, demonstrating social sensitivity and government responsibility.

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However, Vale Gás has also generated debate and discussion about its effectiveness and scope. Some question the scope of the programme, raising concerns about the number of beneficiaries and the equitable distribution of the vouchers.

In addition, there are those who argue that more structural and lasting measures are needed to tackle socio-economic inequalities more broadly and effectively, as well as guaranteeing the long-term food and energy security of low-income families.

However, despite the controversies, the Vale Gás initiative has helped many families with food. Giving the population more dignity in terms of food is a duty of the federal government, and initiatives such as the Gas Aid programme have been able to make a very positive contribution.

Here are some details on how the programme works and how to register to get your Vale Gás.

Quick Index:

How the programme came about

The Gas Aid was created by Law No. 14,237 on 19 November 2021, and regulated by Decree No. 10,881 on 2 December 2021, in order to reduce the effect of the high price of cooking gas on low-income families.

Initially, the programme proposed to pay 50% of the average value of a gas cylinder every two months. In other words, let's take an example of how Vale Gás works in practice:

Let's assume that the average price of a cylinder is currently R$ 102.48.
Therefore, the amount received per family every two months was R$ 51.24.

However, in November 2023, Vale Gás obtained an improvement for its beneficiaries.

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Programme adjustment in 2023

The adjustments made through a provisional measure at the end of 2023 guaranteed beneficiaries of the programme an additional 50% on top of the value of the gas, meaning that families registered in the programme will now receive the full value of the gas canister every two months.

This initiative, and the additional amount previously benefited, is a way of further guaranteeing the budget of low-income families and ensuring more dignity when it comes to feeding Brazilians.

It is important to remember that the amount deposited bimonthly can vary, as it is fixed according to the reference price published by the responsible bodies.

How does Vale Gás work?

The Gas Voucher is made available every two months to the beneficiary and corresponds to 100% of the national average price of a 13kg canister. In short, this benefit works as follows:

The gas voucher is granted every two months;
The amount corresponds to 100% of the national average price of a 13kg cooking gas cylinder.
The data used to calculate the benefit is obtained from the Price Research System (SLP) of the National Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Agency.
Beneficiaries need to be registered with CadÚnico in order to receive the benefit.
Payments are made through the structure of the Bolsa Família programme.

Important! After withdrawing the amount, families are free to use the benefit to buy gas wherever they wish.

Who is entitled

According to the rules of the Vale Gás programme, they can be beneficiaries:

Families registered in the Unified Registry, with a monthly per capita family income equal to or less than half the minimum wage;
Families who receive benefits from cash transfer programmes from different levels of government.

Attention! The benefits of the Bolsa Família Programme are not considered in the monthly family income limit for Gas Aid applicants, i.e. if you are a Bolsa Família beneficiary you can apply for your Gas Voucher too.

Specific eligibility criteria

Families with members living in the same household who receive the Continuous Cash Benefit (BPC), regardless of whether they are registered with the Unified Registry.
For families registered on the Unified Register, the Gas Aid benefit is paid to the Head of Household, preferably the woman indicated on the register.
For families not enrolled in the Unified Registry with BPC beneficiaries, payment is made to the holder of the welfare benefit or their Legal Guardian.

How to register

Registration in the Single Registry (CadÚnico):

The first step is to register with CadÚnico, a free service that provides access to government social programmes.
Registration is done in person at a service point in the city where the family lives.

Required documents:

Photo ID (such as identity card or work permit).
Individual Taxpayer's Register (CPF) or Voter's Licence.
Proof of residence, preferably an electricity bill.
The person responsible for registration must provide information on all family members.

Data update:

The Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, Family and Fight against Hunger (MDS) emphasises the importance of keeping CadÚnico data up to date.

Benefit Registration:

Once the family has been included in the programme, the benefit is registered in the electronic system based on information from the CadÚnico and the Continuous Cash Benefit (BPC) databases.

Note:

It is important to emphasise that inclusion in the Single Registry does not guarantee immediate receipt of the benefit.
Every month, the programme automatically identifies the families that continue to meet the criteria for inclusion and start receiving the benefit, according to the available budget.

Impact of the Vale Gas initiative

Despite the controversies, the Vale Gas represents a concrete effort by the federal government to respond to the immediate demands of the socioeconomically vulnerable population.

Whether as a palliative measure to mitigate the effects of the crisis or as part of a broader social assistance strategy, this programme highlights the urgent need for public policies aimed at protecting the most disadvantaged sections of Brazilian society.

One of the issues that generates the most controversy and negative criticism is who should or shouldn't be receiving Vale Gás. In other words, it's undeniable that a programme with such a positive impact on society in general needs to have better and more careful supervision of its beneficiaries.

However, it is important to emphasise that the benefit as a whole has brought many positive impacts to low-income and socially vulnerable families, as it guarantees more dignity when it comes to food.

And with this positive impact outweighing the negative, you have to bear in mind that regardless of the benefit or government sector, improving a programme or initiative is always a better option than doing away with it altogether.