Welfare Eligibility (21:III)
This section deals with eligibility for income assistance, PPMB assistance, and disability assistance, but not for hardship. Please see Section V: Hardship for information on eligibility for hardship assistance.
A. Application Process
Applicants for income assistance, PPMB assistance, and disability assistance must comply with the application process set out in s 4 of the EAR and s 4 of the EAPWDR, and are subject to the numerous eligibility requirements set out below.
B. Obligation to Provide Information to MSDSI
MSDSI staff are empowered (by s 10 of the EAA and s 10 of the EAPWDA) to require welfare applicants and recipients to demonstrate their eligibility by providing relevant information. MSDSI employees are also empowered to independently verify that information.
At the same time, welfare recipients are obliged to respond to enquiries by MSDSI, submit reports to MSDSI as requested, and alert MSDSI to any changes in their circumstances that may affect their eligibility (s 11 of EAA and s 11 of EAPWDA). Section 33(1) of the EAR requires that by the fifth day of each calendar month a recipient of income assistance or PPMB assistance must submit a report (in a prescribed form) giving relevant information about eligibility. Meanwhile, s 29 of the EAPWDR requires that those on disability assistance submit the form only when there is a change in their circumstances that may affect their eligibility for benefits (e.g. change in their assets, income, or familysituation).
If an applicant fails to comply with MSDSI’s requirements to provide accurate information on factors affecting eligibility, this may result in the suspension or reduction of benefits.
Note that a “trusted third party” must witness many MSDSI forms. This can be a welfare worker (EAW) or other MSDSI staff. If an applicant cannot get to a Ministry office in person, the Ministry may accept a signature from another government worker or a prescribed professional (doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner, social worker, psychologist, chiropractor, or physical/occupational therapist).
To be eligible for income assistance, PPMB assistance, or disability assistance, applicants must show that they meet the:
- asset limits;
- income limits;
- citizenship requirements; and
- age requirements.
To be eligible, applicants must also:
- pursue all other forms of support;
- assign any spousal support rights to MSDSI (effective May 1, 2015, the assignment of child support rights to MSDSI is voluntary).
- have been financially independent for two years in the past (with some exceptions as discussed below);
- complete a three or five-week work search (with some exceptions as discussed below) and;
- comply with employment-related obligations and an employment plan (with some exceptions, discussed below).
Those wishing to receive disability assistance or PPMB assistance must first show they qualify for PPMB or PWD status under the relevant sections of the legislation (s 2 of the EAA for PPMB status, and s 2 of the EAPWDA for PWD status).
The above eligibility criteria will be discussed briefly below. Certain applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria for income assistance, PPMB assistance, or disability assistance may still be eligible for hardship assistance. See Part 4 of EAR and Part 4 of EAPWDR for details.
C. Asset Limits
In order to be eligible for income assistance, PPMB assistance, or disability assistance, applicants must exhaust their assets. As noted above, welfare is a “payer of last resort”. Accordingly, the EAR (ss 11-13) and the EAPWDR (ss 10-12) set out limits on which assets a person can possess and still remain eligible for income assistance, PPMB assistance, or disability assistance.
Asset limits vary depending on the size of the family unit receiving welfare and the type of welfare the family unit is receiving.
Read the EAR (ss 1 and 11-13) and the EAPWDR (ss 1 and 10-12) carefully to identify the asset criteria. and note in particular the definitions of “asset”, which is set out in s 1 of the EAR and EAPWDR.
The following table summarizes the asset limits for different family sizes applying for or receiving different forms of welfare. A more detailed table is available at http://www.eia.gov.bc.ca/mhr/assets.htm.
| Applicant | Maximum Allowable Assets |
|---|---|
| Single person on income assistance or PPMB | $2 000 |
| Family (more than one person) on income assistance or PPMB | $4 000 |
| Single person on, or applying for, disability assistance | $5 000 |
| Family (more than one person) on, or applying for, disability assistance | $10 000 |