Impacto redistributivo do benefício de prestação continuada sobre a desigualdade de renda no Paraná (2012-2020)

Abstract

This work analyzes the redistributive impact of the Continuous Cash Benefit (BPC) on per capita household income inequality in the state of Paraná, Brazil, from 2012 to 2020. The BPC is one of the main social protection instruments in Brazil and is aimed at older adults and persons with disabilities in situations of socioeconomic vulnerability. The empirical analysis was based on data from the Continuous National Household Sample Survey (PNAD Contínua), using the Gini index as a measure of inequality. For this purpose, a counterfactual scenario was constructed in which the values received from the benefit were excluded from household income, allowing a comparison of the Gini index with and without the presence of the BPC. The results indicate that the program has a statistically significant redistributive effect, contributing consistently to the reduction of inequality throughout the period analyzed. However, the magnitude of this effect proved to be limited in aggregate terms, due to the program’s restricted coverage and its relatively small share in total income. The findings also show that the redistributive impact tends to intensify during periods of economic slowdown, which suggests the countercyclical nature of the benefit. It is concluded that, although the BPC plays an important role in the social protection of the most vulnerable groups, its effects on aggregate inequality indicators are limited, which reinforces the importance of complementary policies aimed at strengthening the labor market and expanding labor income.