Welfare Rates and Payment Issues (21:VIII)
A. Income Assistance, PPMB Assistance, and Disability Assistance Rates
People who are eligible for income assistance, PPMB assistance, or disability assistance are entitled to the amounts determined in Schedule A of the EAR or EAPWDR, minus any non-exempt net income available to the family as determined under Schedule B.
All rates are monthly and set out in Schedule A of the EAR and EAPWDR. The rates are divided into a portion for shelter, and a separate portion for support (which is intended to cover all living expenses other than shelter, including food, clothing, transportation, etc.). The shelter portion is listed as a maximum. MSDSI will only pay the lesser of a person’s actual shelter costs or the maximum listed shelter allowance. Below are examples of monthly rates for different family configurations:
- For a single person under age 65 on income assistance: $235.00 for support plus up to $375.00 for shelter, for a total of $610.00 per month.
- For a single person under 65 on PPMB assistance: $282.92 for support plus up to $375.00 for shelter, for a total of $657.92 per month.
- For a four-person family (two parents, both under age 65, and two children) on income assistance: $401.06 for support plus $700.00 for shelter, for a total of $1 101.06 per month.
- For a couple under age 65 where one person has Persons with Disabilities status: $700.56 for support and $570 for shelter, for a total of $1 270.56 per month.
NOTE: Helpful rate tables are online at http://www.eia.gov.bc.ca/mhr/ia.htm and www.eia.gov.bc.ca/mhr/da.htm. These show the shelter support rates for all forms of assistance under the EAA and EAPWDA.
In addition to the support allowance, families may also receive the Canada Child Tax Benefit for children under 18 and the Universal Child Care Benefit for children under 6. A Canada Child Tax Benefit cheque usually includes the national child benefit supplement. If a family does not receive the maximum rate of the national child benefit supplement (see table below) for each child aged two months to 18 years, (e.g. because a child is ineligible or a check is delayed), see EAR, Schedule A, s 2(2), then MSDSI may issue a top up to that amount, as per the chart below:
Number of Children | Maximum national child benefit supplement (and Top-Up Supplement if eligible) |
One | $185.08 per month |
Two | $348.74 per month |
Three | $504.51 per month |
Each additional child beyond three | $155.77 per child, per month |