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Abstract
The Benefício de Prestação Continuada (BPC) program is a non‐contributory pension
addressed to poor elders over 65 years‐old. This paper evaluates its effects on household
composition and on labor market outcomes of the elders and their co‐residing relatives. We
could not capture any sign of changes in the household composition due to the program.
However we found decreases in the labor force participation of the elders, indicating that the
program makes it possible for these poor elders to retire, what would not be possible
otherwise. Also there is a drop in labor force participation of co‐residents. However, the effect
is heterogeneous and the effect is concentrated for adults over 30 years old, while there is no
effect for young adults. When analyzing only rural areas, we observed a decrease in labor
participation of elders and co‐residents from 18 to 50 years old receiving BPC. We also
observe a decrease in child labor.