Info about B.C.'s WelfareTime Limit
Why You Should Care About Welfare Time Limits
On April 1, 2002 the BC Liberal Government implemented a two-year time limit policy on welfare. Time limits on welfare mean that income assistance is provided on a time limited basis only. People on income assistance, if they are single may now only receive welfare for two out of every five years. This means for three years singles on welfare will have no social safety net provided for them. If people are in a two-parent family and have children, families will receive a $200 reduction for the following three years off their cheques and single parents with children over the age of three will have their cheques reduced by $100 for the following three years.
BC is the only province in Canada to have such a policy in place. Time limits on welfare are part of a package of new welfare legislations that constitute a cruel attack on people in poverty in this province. Having time limits on welfare will affect all of us whether we are or not on welfare.
- If you are concerned about human rights you should help to stop time limits on welfare because time limits violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which recognize that everyone has a right to an adequate standard of living. They also violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, particularly Sections 7 and 15, which guarantees security and equality of the person.
- If you are a landlord you should help to stop time limits on welfare because this will mean that many of your tenants will no longer be able to pay rent for your premise.
- If you are involved with BC public schools you should help to stop time limits on welfare because time limits resulting in reductions in assistance mean that more children will come to school hungry.
- If you are a business owner you should help to stop time limits on welfare because welfare time limits will mean more people sleeping in the streets, panhandling and sqeegeeing.
- If you are a taxpayer you should help to stop time limits on welfare because it costs on average $30,000 to $40,000 per year for the police, court, hospital, and shelter costs associated with one person living on the streets compared to $25,000 for supportive housing. It will also overburden the foster care system as many children will be apprehended because their parents will not be able to provide for them.
- If you are a worker you should help to stop time limits on welfare because time limits ultimately undermine the bargaining power of working people by flooding the labour market. A study in the US found that if the low-wage labour marker were to give jobs to former welfare recipients without displacing current workers, pay would fall by nearly 12% for the bottom 30% of workers.
These poor-bashing cuts are an attack on the most vulnerable in our city and in our province.
Please email, write or fax Stan Hagen, the Minister of Human Resources to tell him to End Welfare Time Limits:
Phone: 250-356-7750 Fax: 250-356-7292
Address: PO Box 9058 STN PROV GOVT Victoria BC V8W 9E2
Email: stan.hagen@gems6.gov.bc.ca
For further information, contact one of these organizations:
End Legislated Poverty: 604-879-1209 or elp@telus.net
Vancouver Status of Women: 604-255-6554 or femantipov@vsw.ca
Anti-Poverty Committee: 604-682-2726 or apc@resist.ca
Time limits on welfare mean that income assistance is provided on a time limited basis. The two-year time limit means that you qualify for welfare for only two years out of five years. This new legislation means that, after two years of collecting welfare, you will have your income reduced or you will not qualify for income assistance for the following three years. Time limits only apply when you are receiving income assistance. Canceled or stopped cheques will not be counted towards the two-year time limit.
Who is affected by the time limit?
Time limits apply to individuals and families receiving income assistance who are classified as employable.
Who is NOT affected by the time limit?
- You are a member of a family who is receiving hardship assistance
- You are a member of a family where at least one person has Person with Disabilities (PWD) designation
- You are in a family where everyone is over the age of 65
- You are in a family in which all people have Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMB)
- You are in family where everyone is receiving accommodation and care in a special care facility, private hospital or are in hospital because of needing extended care (this does not include alcohol or drug treatment centres)
- You are a child who is receiving Child in Home of Relative (CIHR) assistance
What will happen to me once I reach my time limit?
- no eligibility for singles
- no eligibility for couples who have both reached their time limit
- $300 reduction for employable couples with one adult over the time limit
- $100 reduction for single parents
- $100 reduction for two parent families where one is over the time limit
- $200 reduction where both parents are over the time limit
When does the time limit begin?
Time limits began April 1, 2002, and include any month that you have received income assistance where you have been seen as employable However, the two year time limit does not count the months that you qualify for exemptions.
What months do NOT count towards the time limit?
Health Related Exclusions
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You are excused if… |
The proof that you need |
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You are living in a special care facility or a private hospital |
A letter, note, or phone call from the institution confirming that you are in the residency and how long you will be staying. |
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You are admitted to hospital and need extended care |
A letter, note, or phone call from the hospital confirming that you are in hospital and how long you will be there. |
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You have drug/alcohol addictions |
A note, letter or telephone call from a health worker that:
Your welfare worker can exclude you from up to three months of looking for work if you are unable to contact a health worker, and it is obvious to your worker that you have drug/alcohol addictions. The district supervisor may be able to extend this after the three months based on information from your welfare worker, a mental health worker and/or a drug and alcohol counsellor. |
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You have a temporary medical condition |
A note, letter or telephone call from a health worker that: · identifies your condition · indicates that you are unable to seek work · indicates how long the medical condition is going to last If you are not able to get this information, your worker can exclude you from having to look for work for up to three months if they know about this medical condition, and it is obvious that it interferes with your ability to look for work. |
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You are part of treatment or rehabilitation program |
A letter, note or telephone call from a person from the treatment centre that: · confirms you are participating in treatment · indicates that you cannot seek work · indicates for how long you will be in the treatment program |
|
You have a mental health condition |
A note, letter or telephone call from a health worker that: · identifies your condition · indicates that you are unable to seek work · indicates if there is any treatment for your condition If you are not able to get this information, your worker can exclude you from having to look for work for up to three months if they know that you have this condition. The district supervisor may be able to extend this after the three months based on information from your welfare worker and/or a mental health worker. |
Age Related Exclusions
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You are excused if… |
The proof that you need |
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You are 65 years of age |
Birth certificate |
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You are under the age of 19 |
Birth certificate |
Caregiving Related Exclusions
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You are excused if… |
The proof that you need |
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You are the only caregiver of a child, foster child, or CIHR under age three |
Birth certificate of your child |
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You are the only caregiver of a dependent child, CIHR, or foster child with a physical or mental condition |
Birth certificate of your child and a note or letter from a health worker that:
|
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You live with and care for a spouse who a mental or physical condition |
Birth certificate of your spouse and a note or letter from a health worker that: · identifies the condition · indicates that you are unable to leave the home to seek work · identifies how long the condition will last |
Training or Educational Exclusions
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You are excused if… |
The proof that you need |
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You are participating in a job training program |
The ministry has given you prior approval for participating in this program |
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You are in a ministry approved literacy, upgrading ABE, or ESL training program |
The ministry has given you prior approval for participating in this program |
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You participating in a Bridging Employment Program |
The ministry has given you prior approval for participating in this program |
Other Exclusions
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You are excused if… |
The proof that you need |
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You have separated from an abusive spouse/relative in the last six months |
A note, letter, or telephone call from a social worker, police officer, transition house staff person, or court officer that: · confirms the situation · indicates that you are unable to seek work · states the date of separation |
|
You are pregnant |
A note, letter, or telephone call from a health worker that confirms the pregnancy, and when your child is due. |
NOTE: A health worker is defined a person who is a doctor, a registered psychologist, a registered nurse or psychiatric nurse, an occupational therapist, a physical therapist, a social worker, or a registered clinical counselor.
For more information on the two-year time limit, contact End Legislated Poverty at 604-879-1209 or email elp@telus.net.
