Difference between revisions of "I'm Being Investigated by the Welfare Ministry"

From Clicklaw Wikibooks
Jump to navigation Jump to search
 
(updated legal review date)
 
(39 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Template:Legal Help Guide TOC}}If the Ministry of Social Development believes that you have received welfare benefits you shouldn't have, they may ask you to repay them. The same applies for the Administering Authority for welfare on an Indian reserve. This is called an overpayment. If they believe that you have received the benefit through fraud, they will investigate and may have you charged with an offence under the Criminal Code or provincial welfare laws. Fraud means receiving assistance as a result of providing information that you know is false or misleading.  
{{Template:Legal Help Guide TOC}}If the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction ("the Ministry") believes that you have received welfare benefits you shouldn't have, they may ask you to repay them. The same applies for the Administering Authority for welfare on an Indian reserve. This is called an overpayment. If the Ministry believes that you have received the benefit through fraud, or providing false or misleading information, it will investigate and may have you charged with an offence under the ''Criminal Code'' or provincial welfare laws. Fraud means receiving assistance as a result of providing information that you know is false or misleading.  
 
{{Tipsbox
| width = 80%
| tips = Take any accusation of welfare fraud very seriously. Bans on welfare eligibility because of fraud convictions were eliminated on August 1, 2015.  But there are still serious consequences of being convicted of welfare fraud.  In most cases at least $100 per month will be deducted from your welfare check to pay the Ministry back for money you were convicted of obtaining by fraud or through providing false or misleading information. This deduction will last for at least 12 months. If you were convicted of fraud under the ''Criminal Code'', the deduction will last until all of the funds your conviction related to are repaid.  (The exception is that the Ministry can choose to deduct less than $100 per month if you are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless because of the deduction, or if the deduction puts your health or the health of someone else in your family at risk).
}}


== First steps ==
== First steps ==


#If you are being investigated by the Ministry, contact an advocate for help.(See the listing for [[PovNet]] in the Resource Guide for contact and website information for welfare advocates in your area.)  
#If you are being investigated by the Ministry, <span class="noglossary">contact</span> an advocate for help. (See the listing for [[PovNet]] in the Resource List of this Guide for <span class="noglossary">contact</span> and website information for welfare advocates in your area.)  
#If you are being investigated and think you may be charged with welfare fraud, immediately contact a lawyer for advice. Many criminal lawyers will provide some advice at no charge. Search for criminal lawyers in your area on the Internet or see the Yellow pages. It is almost always advisable that you don't discuss the accusation with a Ministry investigator before you have spoken with a lawyer.
#If you are being investigated and think you may be charged with welfare fraud, immediately <span class="noglossary">contact</span> a lawyer for advice. Many criminal lawyers will provide some advice at no charge. Use the internet to search for criminal lawyers in your area or see the Yellow Pages. It is almost always advisable that you don't discuss the accusation with a Ministry investigator before you have spoken with a lawyer.
#If you are charged with welfare fraud under the Criminal Code or the provincial welfare law, look at the question in this Guide "[[I've been charged with a criminal (or youth) offence and have to go to court]]". Make sure that you apply for legal aid, for a criminal lawyer to represent you.
#If you are charged with welfare fraud under the ''Criminal Code'' or the provincial welfare law, look at the section in this Guide "[[I've been charged with a criminal (or youth) offence and have to go to court]]." Make sure that you apply for legal aid, for a criminal lawyer to represent you.


{{Tipsbox
== What happens next==
| width = 90%
| tips = Take any accusation of welfare fraud very seriously. '''If you collect welfare off-reserve and are convicted of fraud under the Criminal Code (either by pleading guilty or being found guilty after a trial), your welfare benefits will be cut off  for life.''' (The exception is that if you have dependent children or a spouse, your family's benefits will be reduced instead of cut off.) If you are convicted of welfare fraud under provincial welfare laws, your benefits will be cut off for one year for a first offence, two years for a second offence, and for life for a third offence. (Although the penalties for welfare fraud on an Indian reserve are not specified, both the courts and the federal government treat welfare fraud on reserve as a serious offence.) }}


The Ministry will continue their investigation and will probably want to speak with you. This can be tricky. You have to provide certain information to the Ministry in <span class="noglossary">order</span> to continue receiving benefits, but it is generally not a good idea to discuss anything with them that could lead to a criminal charge and conviction. Be guided by legal advice, and speak with a welfare advocate about what information you need to provide to the Ministry in <span class="noglossary">order</span> to continue receiving benefits.


== What happens next?==
== Where to get help==


The Ministry will continue their investigation and will probably want to speak with you. This can be tricky. You have to provide certain information to the Ministry in order to continue receiving benefits, but it is generally not a good idea to discuss anything with them that could lead to a criminal charge and conviction. Be guided by legal advice, and speak with a welfare advocate about what information you need to provide to the Ministry in order to continue receiving benefits.
See the [[Resource List for Legal Help for British Columbians|Resource List]] of this Guide for a list of helpful resources. Your best bets are:
*[[Legal Aid Representation|Legal aid representation]], to see if you qualify for legal aid.
*[[Duty Counsel|Criminal duty counsel]], to see if you qualify for assistance if you have to appear in court.
*[[PovNet]], including their [http://www.povnet.org/find-an-advocate Find An Advocate]" feature for welfare advocates near you.
*[[Access Pro Bono]], [[Lawyer Referral Service]], and [[Private Bar Lawyers|private bar lawyers]].


{{Tipsbox
Before meeting with a lawyer or advocate, complete the form [[Preparing for Your Interview]] included in this Guide. Make sure you bring copies of all documents relating to your case.
| width = 70%
| tips = Many criminal lawyers are not aware that welfare benefits are affected if you are convicted of fraud in relation to welfare benefits. Make sure you or your welfare advocate tell your lawyer this information. Give your lawyer a copy of the lawyer's fact sheet described below in the "Where to get help" section.}}


== Where to get help==
{{REVIEWED | reviewer = [[Alison Ward]], March 2018}}
See the [[Resource Guide]] for a list of helpful resources. Your best bets are:
The Legal Services Society has two information sheets about welfare and fraud charges.
There is a fact sheet for people charged with offences, at http://www.lss.bc.ca/publications/pub.aspx?p_id=305


There is a fact sheet for criminal law lawyers helping clients with welfare fraud charges, at http://www.lss.bc.ca/assets/lawyers/practiceResources/criminaChargesSocialAssistance_Lawyer.pdf
{{Template:Legal Help Guide Navbox|type=problems}}
{{Template:Legal Help Guide Navbox|type=problems}}
{{Creative Commons for Legal Help Guide}}

Latest revision as of 20:57, 7 March 2018

If the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction ("the Ministry") believes that you have received welfare benefits you shouldn't have, they may ask you to repay them. The same applies for the Administering Authority for welfare on an Indian reserve. This is called an overpayment. If the Ministry believes that you have received the benefit through fraud, or providing false or misleading information, it will investigate and may have you charged with an offence under the Criminal Code or provincial welfare laws. Fraud means receiving assistance as a result of providing information that you know is false or misleading.

Tipsandnotes.png
Take any accusation of welfare fraud very seriously. Bans on welfare eligibility because of fraud convictions were eliminated on August 1, 2015. But there are still serious consequences of being convicted of welfare fraud. In most cases at least $100 per month will be deducted from your welfare check to pay the Ministry back for money you were convicted of obtaining by fraud or through providing false or misleading information. This deduction will last for at least 12 months. If you were convicted of fraud under the Criminal Code, the deduction will last until all of the funds your conviction related to are repaid. (The exception is that the Ministry can choose to deduct less than $100 per month if you are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless because of the deduction, or if the deduction puts your health or the health of someone else in your family at risk).

First steps[edit]

  1. If you are being investigated by the Ministry, contact an advocate for help. (See the listing for PovNet in the Resource List of this Guide for contact and website information for welfare advocates in your area.)
  2. If you are being investigated and think you may be charged with welfare fraud, immediately contact a lawyer for advice. Many criminal lawyers will provide some advice at no charge. Use the internet to search for criminal lawyers in your area or see the Yellow Pages. It is almost always advisable that you don't discuss the accusation with a Ministry investigator before you have spoken with a lawyer.
  3. If you are charged with welfare fraud under the Criminal Code or the provincial welfare law, look at the section in this Guide "I've been charged with a criminal (or youth) offence and have to go to court." Make sure that you apply for legal aid, for a criminal lawyer to represent you.

What happens next[edit]

The Ministry will continue their investigation and will probably want to speak with you. This can be tricky. You have to provide certain information to the Ministry in order to continue receiving benefits, but it is generally not a good idea to discuss anything with them that could lead to a criminal charge and conviction. Be guided by legal advice, and speak with a welfare advocate about what information you need to provide to the Ministry in order to continue receiving benefits.

Where to get help[edit]

See the Resource List of this Guide for a list of helpful resources. Your best bets are:

Before meeting with a lawyer or advocate, complete the form Preparing for Your Interview included in this Guide. Make sure you bring copies of all documents relating to your case.

This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by Alison Ward, March 2018.


Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Canada Licence Legal Help for British Columbians © Cliff Thorstenson and Courthouse Libraries BC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Canada Licence.