This benefits protection toolkit is a step-by-step guide to develop and integrate a benefits protection strategy into your Direct Cash Transfer (DCT) program design. The steps are intended to be followed in the order they appear, but the toolkit also offers prompts to skip steps when they are not applicable. It is recommended this toolkit be used at the early stages of the program design process for any new pilot or program, as the timelines to protect benefits can be long, and the mitigation strategies can also include changes to the program design. This toolkit includes a set of customizable templates, letters, and other tools which should be downloaded and modified for your pilot and local context.