The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is Pakistan’s biggest cash assistance programme, and its main payment, Benazir Kafaalat, now pays Rs 14,500 every quarter to a woman in each eligible household. This page explains who qualifies, how the PMT score decides eligibility, how to check your status, and how to register through the free NSER survey. If you only need the status check, our Ehsaas 8171 check guide walks through every method step by step.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Programme | Benazir Kafaalat, under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) |
| Payment | Rs 14,500 per quarter, since March 2026 |
| Paid to | A woman in the eligible household |
| Eligibility | NSER survey with a PMT score of 32 or below (37 if a family member is disabled) |
| Check status | SMS your CNIC to 8171, or use the official portal 8171.bisp.gov.pk |
| Registration | Free NSER survey at your BISP tehsil office |
| Helpline | 0800-26477 |
How Much Is the Benazir Kafaalat Payment in 2026?
The quarterly Kafaalat payment is Rs 14,500. BISP raised it from Rs 13,500, and the higher amount has applied since the March 2026 payment cycle. The payment goes to the woman beneficiary of the household, and it is released in quarterly instalments through the payment channels BISP announces for each cycle.
A further increase to Rs 18,000 per quarter has been announced for January 2027 in a government briefing. That amount has not been paid yet, so treat any message promising Rs 18,000 today as wrong.
Who Can Get BISP Kafaalat? The Eligibility Rules
BISP does not approve applications by form. Eligibility comes from the National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER), a national survey of households. The survey scores each household on a Proxy Means Test (PMT) from 0 to 100, based on income, family size, housing, assets and similar details.
- Your household must be recorded in the NSER survey.
- Your PMT score must be 32 or below. For a household with a disabled member, the cut-off is 37.
- The beneficiary must be an ever-married woman in the household with a valid CNIC.
- Households are reassessed every three years, so an old survey can expire.
You will not qualify if your household’s survey shows a government salary or pension, higher income, larger land or vehicle ownership, or other signs that take your PMT score above the cut-off. If your situation has changed since your survey, for example you lost income, you can ask for your survey record to be updated at the tehsil office.
How to Check Your BISP Eligibility on 8171
There are three official ways, and all of them are free:
- SMS: send your 13-digit CNIC number, without dashes, to 8171. You will get a reply about your eligibility.
- Web portal: open 8171.bisp.gov.pk, enter your CNIC and the code shown in the picture, and submit.
- Helpline and offices: call 0800-26477, or visit your BISP tehsil office.
Our Ehsaas 8171 check guide explains what each possible reply means and what to do next in each case.
How to Register for BISP: The NSER Survey
There is no online registration form for BISP, and anyone selling one is running a scam. Registration happens through the NSER survey at BISP registration desks in tehsil offices, and through BISP mobile registration vans in remote areas.
- Go to the Benazir registration desk at your BISP tehsil office.
- Take the CNIC of the woman of the house, the CNICs of adult family members, and the B-Forms of your children. A widow should also take her husband’s death certificate.
- The staff record your household details on a tablet and verify your fingerprints.
- Your household receives a PMT score from the survey.
- Check your result by sending your CNIC to 8171. If your score is within the cut-off, payments start for the woman beneficiary.
The survey is completely free. A household generally cannot be surveyed again within two years, so give correct and complete information the first time.
How BISP Kafaalat Payments Are Collected
When a quarterly instalment is released, BISP announces the payment phase for each district through its official channels and the 8171 service. The woman beneficiary collects the payment herself with her original CNIC and biometric (fingerprint) verification at the payment point serving her area, which can be a designated bank agent, a payment camp site, or another channel BISP names for that cycle. Nobody else can collect on her behalf, and no part of the payment may be deducted by any agent: the full Rs 14,500 is hers.
If fingerprint verification fails, which can happen with worn fingerprints, do not pay anyone to fix it. Visit the BISP tehsil office for guidance, and if advised, update your biometric record at NADRA and then inform the tehsil office. Keep the SIM registered in your own name active, because payment messages arrive from 8171 on the number linked with your record.
Other BISP Programmes Worth Knowing
- Benazir Taleemi Wazaif: education stipends for the children of Kafaalat families, paid per school term for enrolled children.
- Benazir Nashonuma: nutrition support for mothers and young children at facilitation centres, aimed at preventing stunting.
Both programmes use the same NSER record, so a family registered for Kafaalat is already in the system for them.
Stay Safe from BISP Frauds
- Genuine BISP messages come only from 8171. Messages from any other number are fake.
- Registration, the survey and status checks are free. Never pay anyone for them.
- Never share your mobile PIN, bank details or CNIC copies with agents or websites. PakGovtSchemes.pk never asks for your CNIC.
BISP Kafaalat: FAQs
Rs 14,500 per quarter. The amount was raised from Rs 13,500 and has applied since March 2026. An increase to Rs 18,000 has been announced for January 2027 but is not being paid yet.
Send your 13-digit CNIC number by SMS to 8171, or enter it on the official portal 8171.bisp.gov.pk. You can also call the BISP helpline on 0800-26477.
No. BISP has no online registration form. Registration is done through the free NSER survey at the registration desk of your BISP tehsil office. The 8171 portal only checks your status.
Your household needs a PMT score of 32 or below in the NSER survey. If a member of your household is disabled, the cut-off is 37.
The CNIC of the woman of the house, CNICs of adult family members, and B-Forms of the children. A widow should also bring her husband’s death certificate.
First check your status on 8171, because payments are released in phases. Then call the BISP helpline on 0800-26477 or visit your tehsil office with your CNIC. Never pay an agent to release a payment.
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Last updated: November 4, 2026