Behbood Savings Certificate 2026: 12.60% profit, Rs 1,050 a month per lakh

Behbood Savings Certificate profit rate today: 12.60% a year, or Rs 1,050 a month on every Rs 100,000, effective 4 September 2026 according to the National Savings rate sheet. The Behbood savings certificate (BSC) is a 10-year National Savings scheme for senior citizens aged 60 or above, widows and persons with disabilities. It pays profit every month, carries no withholding tax and no Zakat deduction, and takes Rs 5,000 to Rs 7.5 million per person.

This guide covers who can buy it, how much it pays at today's rate, the documents, how to buy it at a National Savings Centre, early encashment charges and the mistakes that cost people money.

Behbood savings certificate at a glance (2026)

Source: National Savings, Behbood Savings Certificates and the latest profit rates page.

Who can invest

National Savings allows the following Pakistani citizens to buy BSCs:

1. Senior citizens aged 60 years or above.
2. Widows, as long as they have not remarried.
3. Two eligible people jointly, for example a retired husband and wife who are both over 60.
4. Persons with disabilities holding a CNIC with the disability logo, and special minors with a disability through their guardian (added from 1 January 2018).

Overseas Pakistanis who meet the same conditions can invest with their NICOP.

How much Behbood pays at today's rate

The rate sheet gives the monthly profit on Rs 100,000, so divide your amount by 100,000 and multiply by Rs 1,050:

Because no withholding tax is collected, the monthly amount above is what reaches the holder. Run your own figures on the National Savings calculator, and compare BSC with every other scheme on our National Savings comparison.

The rate changes, your certificate follows

The BSC rate is not fixed for 10 years. National Savings revises it in line with market rates, and the new rate applies to monthly profit from its effective date. In 2026 alone it has moved from Rs 1,040 (5 January) to Rs 1,000 (23 January), Rs 1,100 (10 June), Rs 1,080 (18 July) and Rs 1,050 (4 September) per Rs 100,000. The most recent cut is covered in our news report on the September rate change. National Savings rates tend to track the State Bank's policy rate, so watch it for the direction of the next change.

Documents you need

National Savings lists these with the application form:

• Senior citizens: a copy of the CNIC (or NICOP for overseas Pakistanis).
• Widows: CNIC or NICOP, a copy of the husband's death certificate issued by the relevant department, and an undertaking on stamp paper that she has not remarried, attested by a notary public or oath commissioner. If she later remarries, profit received after that must be refunded under the rules.
• Persons with disabilities: the CNIC with the disability logo; for a special minor, the guardian's documents.

How to buy a Behbood certificate, step by step

1. Pick the amount within Rs 5,000 and Rs 7.5 million (Rs 15 million joint), in the available denominations.
2. Go to a National Savings Centre near you. BSCs are sold only at National Savings Centres, not at bank branches.
3. Fill in form SC-1 (application form), which is free at the counter or can be downloaded from the National Savings website.
4. Choose joint class if investing with another eligible person. Joint class-A pays both holders together or either with the other's written consent; joint class-B pays either holder.
5. Pay by cash, cheque, draft or pay order. Certificates bought with cash are issued at once. With a cheque or pay order, they are issued from the date the payment clears.
6. Collect the certificates and keep them safe. Monthly profit starts from the date of purchase.

Cashing in early: service charges

You can encash a BSC at any time, but a service charge is cut from the face value if you do so early:

On Rs 1,000,000 encashed in the first year, that is Rs 10,000. After four years there is no charge.

Timeline

Mistakes to avoid

• Investing more than the limit. Rs 7.5 million is the single cap; a larger amount needs a joint holding with another eligible person.
• Using a cheque when you need profit to start at once. Cash is issued the same day; a cheque waits for clearing.
• Encashing in year one for a small need. The 1% charge on the full face value often costs more than a short loan. Encash only the denomination you need.
• Assuming the rate is fixed. It changes with market rates, so check the latest profit rates before you plan a monthly budget around it.
• Widows not updating status. Remarriage ends eligibility, and profit received afterwards must be returned.

Behbood compared with other National Savings options

BSC and the Pensioners' Benefit Account (PBA) pay the same Rs 1,050 per Rs 100,000 a month from 4 September 2026, per the same rate sheet; PBA is for retired government employees. The ordinary Savings Account pays 10.00% a year, National Savings says. For an eligible retired person with a lump sum, BSC combines a monthly payout with no withholding tax; see all of them side by side on the comparison page.

For help, the National Savings helpline is (051) 111 267 268.