Difference between revisions of "Welfare Rates and Payment Issues (21:VIII)"

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Recipients are not eligible for the full monthly shelter allowance if they are not paying that much in shelter costs. Schedule A, s 5 of the EAR and EAPWDR set out what expenses items can be included when calculating shelter costs. They are: rent, mortgage payments, house insurance premiums, property taxes for the recipient’s own home, utility costs, and the actual cost of maintenance and repairs for the recipient’s own home '''if''' these costs have been approved. Note that the definition of “utility costs” in Schedule A, s 5(1) of the EAR and EAPWDR is quite broad. 


Where two or more family units share the same place of residence, the family units’ shelter costs are calculated according to s 5(4) of Schedule A of the EAR and EAPWDR.
Recipients are eligible for the full monthly shelter amount only if they are paying at least that much in shelter costs. Schedule A, s 5 of the EAR and EAPWDR set out what expenses and items can be included when calculating shelter costs. They are: rent, mortgage payments, house insurance premiums, property taxes for the recipient’s own home, utility costs, and the actual cost of maintenance and repairs for the recipient’s own home '''if''' these costs have been approved.  Note that the definition of “utility costs” in Schedule A, s 5(1) of the EAR and EAPWDR is quite broad.  


== C. Rates for People Receiving Room and Board ==
Where two or more family units share the same place of residence, the Ministry calculates family units’ shelter costs according to s 5(4) of Schedule A of the EAR and EAPWDR.
 
== E. Rates for People Receiving Room and Board ==


Schedule A, s 6 of the EAR and EAPWDR set out the method for calculating the income assistance and disability assistance rates for a family unit receiving room and board.   
Schedule A, s 6 of the EAR and EAPWDR set out the method for calculating the income assistance and disability assistance rates for a family unit receiving room and board.   


If recipients receive room and board from a parent or child, only the support allowance that is payable to that family unit size shall be paid.  
Until July 1, 2019, recipients who received room and board from a parent or adult child, were only entitled to a support allowance for a family unit of their size.  As of July 1, 2019, they are entitled to payments up to the maximum support and shelter allowances for a family unit of their size, calculated in the same manner as anyone else in a room and board situation.  


The Ministry has announced that the support rate will also be increased as of September 1, 2016 for people with the PWD designation who receive room and board. The announcement is that they will receive a $25 support rate increase and have the choice between buying a bus pass from the Ministry each month or receiving a $52 transportation allowance each month.  
People with the PWD designation who receive room and board are also eligible for the Persons with Disabilities Transportation Supplement described in section B above.  


== D. Rates for People Living in Emergency Shelters and Transition Houses ==
== F. Rates for People Living in Emergency Shelters and Transition Houses ==


Schedule A, s 9 of EAR and EAPWDR provide for the level of assistance for a family unit is receiving accommodation and care in an emergency shelter or transition house.  
Schedule A, s 9 of EAR and EAPWDR provide for the level of assistance for a family unit that is receiving accommodation and care in an emergency shelter or transition house.


== E. Rates for “Transients” ==
== G. Rates for People in a Special Care Facility ==
Schedule A, s 10 of the EAR sets out the amount of income assistance available to a person that falls under the legislative definition of “transient” (in s 1 of the EAR). The EAPWD legislation does not have a definition of “transient” nor rules that apply to “transients.”


== F. Rates for People in a Special Care Facility ==
Section 1 of each regulation defines “Special care facility” as “a facility that is a licensed community care facility under the Community Care and Assisted Living Act or a specialized adult residential care setting approved by the minister under subsection (3).”  Schedule A, s 8 of EAR and the EAPWDR sets out what the Ministry will cover for shelter and support for a person residing at such a facility.


“Special care facility” is defined in s 1 of each regulation as a specialized adult residential care setting approved by the Ministry or a licensed boarding home, alcohol or drug treatment centre, a personal care facility, or intermediate care facility.
== H. Children in the Home of a Relative (CIHR) - repealed ==
 
Schedule A, s 8 of EAR and the EAPWDR sets out what the Ministry will cover for shelter and support for a person residing at such a facility. 
 
== G. Children in the Home of a Relative (CIHR) - repealed ==


Until 31 March 2010 the EAA provided that if a child was supported in the home of a relative other than the child’s parent and no parent of the  child was able to pay the total cost of the child’s care, the Ministry would pay income assistance according to the child’s age:
Until 31 March 2010 the EAA provided that if a child was supported in the home of a relative other than the child’s parent and no parent of the  child was able to pay the total cost of the child’s care, the Ministry would pay income assistance according to the child’s age:
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The CIHR provisions were repealed as of 1 April 2010 (BC Reg 48/2010). '''However, these provisions still apply to families that include children who were approved under the old provision prior to 31 March 2010, or who filed their applications prior to 31 March 2010 and were subsequently approved''' under the old provision (see the Child in the Home of a Relative Transition Regulation). The following repealed sections contained key provisions dealing with Children in the Home of a Relative: EAR s 6; s 11(1)(b)(iv); s 27; s 29; s 33; s 34; s 34.1; 49; 50; 60; 61; 67; 67.1; 68; 71; 73; 74.01; 75; and Schedule A, s 11.  
The BC government repealed the CIHR provisions on 1 April 2010 (BC Reg 48/2010). However, these provisions still apply to families that include children who were approved under the old provision prior to 31 March 2010, or who filed their applications prior to 31 March 2010 and were subsequently approved under the old provision (see the Child in the Home of a Relative Transition Regulation). The following repealed sections contained key provisions dealing with Children in the Home of a Relative: EAR s 6; s 11(1)(b)(iv); s 27; s 29; s 33; s 34; s 34.1; 49; 50; 60; 61; 67; 67.1; 68; 71; 73; 74.01; 75; and Schedule A, s 11.
 
== H. Method of Payment of Assistance ==
 
The Ministry's standard method of payment is by direct deposit by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) into the recipient’s bank account. 


Applicants can generally get an exemption where EFT payment is not appropriate for them. Such recipients typically receive their benefit cheque by picking it up from the Ministry office. 
== I. Method of Payment of Assistance ==


The Ministry also commonly pays recipients’ shelter allowances directly to their landlords. This is optional.
The Ministry’s standard method of payment is by direct deposit by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) into the recipient’s bank account.  Applicants can generally get an exemption where EFT payment is not appropriate for them.  Such recipients typically receive their benefit cheque by picking it up from the Ministry office, or by mail.  The Ministry also commonly pays recipients’ shelter allowances directly to their landlords. This is optional.  


== I. Lost or Stolen Cheques ==
== J. Lost or Stolen Cheques ==


Section 92 of the EAR and s 77 of the EAPWDR authorize the issuance of a replacement of an unendorsed assistance cheque as long as:  
Section 92 of the EAR and s 77 of the EAPWDR authorize the issuance of a replacement of an unendorsed assistance cheque if:  
*(a) in the case of theft, the matter has been reported to police; and  
*(a) in the case of theft, the victim reported the matter to police; and  
*(b) in the case of loss or theft, the recipient  
*(b) in the case of loss or theft, the recipient  
**(i) makes a declaration of the facts; and  
**(i) makes a declaration of the facts; and  
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