BISP Eligibility Criteria Explained
BISP eligibility is determined by your household's PMT (Proxy Means Test) score — a poverty index based on housing conditions, assets, education levels, household size, and geographic location. If your PMT score falls below the government threshold (set by BISP and updated periodically), you qualify for cash assistance.
The PMT Score — How BISP Measures Poverty
The PMT (Proxy Means Test) doesn't ask "how much do you earn?" — because self-reported income in Pakistan's informal economy is unreliable. Instead, it estimates your economic status using observable, verifiable indicators that correlate with poverty. These indicators are collected during the NSER (National Socio-Economic Registry) household survey.
What Factors Affect Your PMT Score
| Factor | How It Affects Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Housing material | Concrete/brick = higher score; mud/straw = lower | High |
| Number of rooms | More rooms = higher score | Medium |
| Toilet type | Flush toilet = higher; no toilet = lower | Medium |
| Water source | Piped water = higher; well/pond = lower | Medium |
| Assets owned | Car, motorcycle, fridge, AC raise score significantly | High |
| Livestock | Owning cattle, buffalo raises score | Medium |
| Agricultural land | Owning 5+ acres raises score | High |
| Education (household) | Higher education levels = higher score | Medium |
| Household size | More dependents, fewer earners = lower score | Medium |
| Employment type | Government job = high score; daily wage = lower | High |
| Geographic location | Urban areas score higher than rural | Low |
No single factor determines eligibility alone — it's the combination of all indicators that produces your total PMT score. A family in a mud house with no assets and daily-wage income scores very low (likely eligible). A family in a concrete house with a motorcycle, two employed adults, and a flush toilet scores much higher (likely ineligible).
The Eligibility Threshold
The PMT threshold is set by the government and reviewed periodically. It's not a publicly advertised number — BISP uses it internally to classify households as eligible or ineligible. The threshold can change between program phases to expand or contract the beneficiary pool based on budget and policy decisions.
Generally, the lowest 25-30% of Pakistani households by PMT score qualify for BISP assistance. The exact percentage depends on the current phase's budget and targeting goals.
Check your eligibility now: 8171 web portal or 8171 SMS service. Not eligible but think you should be? Visit how to file a BISP complaint for the dispute process.
Why "Deserving" Families Sometimes Don't Qualify
The PMT system isn't perfect. Common situations where genuinely poor families are marked ineligible:
- Household member owns a registered vehicle. Even if the motorcycle is old and broken, its registration in a household member's name raises the PMT score. If it was sold but not transferred in Excise records, it still counts against you.
- CNIC address in urban area. If your CNIC shows a city address but you actually live in a rural area, the urban geographic weighting raises your score. Update your CNIC address at NADRA to reflect your actual residence.
- Outdated survey data. Your survey may have been conducted years ago when your family was better off. Job loss, disability, death of breadwinner, or natural disaster since then isn't reflected. Request a resurvey at your BISP office.
- Joint family counted as one household. If the surveyor counted your extended family as one household (common when multiple families share one compound), the combined assets raise the score. Clarify household boundaries during the survey or request correction.
Disqualifying Factors — What Automatically Makes You Ineligible
- Government employment. Any household member holding a government job (federal, provincial, or local government) typically pushes the PMT above threshold.
- Multiple registered vehicles. Owning two or more vehicles (car + motorcycle) is a strong indicator of non-poverty in the PMT model.
- Large agricultural landholding. Owning 12.5+ acres of irrigated land (or equivalent) typically exceeds the threshold.
- Foreign remittances. If household members receive regular international remittances, this increases the estimated income and raises the PMT score.
- Passport holders with recent travel. International travel is weighted as an indicator of financial means.
Don't try to game the system. BISP cross-verifies survey data with NADRA records, vehicle registration databases, property records, and passport data. Deliberately understating assets during the survey can lead to disqualification and legal consequences. See documents required for BISP for what you need to provide honestly.
BISP Eligibility Criteria — Detailed Answers
PMT (Proxy Means Test) is a poverty measurement score calculated from observable household indicators — housing quality, assets, education, employment, and family size. BISP uses it to determine eligibility instead of self-reported income, which is unreliable in Pakistan's informal economy.
The exact numeric PMT score is not publicly displayed. The 8171 portal only shows "Eligible" or "Not Eligible." To understand which factors affected your score, visit your BISP tehsil office and request a review of your survey data.
Not automatically, but it raises your PMT score. One motorcycle alone may not push you above the threshold if other indicators (housing, income, family size) suggest poverty. However, combined with other assets, it can tip the score above eligibility.
Yes. If your household circumstances change significantly (loss of breadwinner, natural disaster, sale of assets), you can request a resurvey. Similarly, if your situation improves (new job, asset acquisition), your next survey may find you ineligible.
PMT scores are calculated per household using multiple factors. Two families on the same street can have different scores based on housing quality, assets, household composition, and employment. The system assesses each household independently.