Difference between revisions of "Introduction to Welfare (21:I)"

Welfare is a basic form of income support provided by the state to those in need.  In BC, the provincial government administers welfare via the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (the Ministry; formerly the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation). Welfare is a “payer of last resort”, which means that in order to receive welfare, a person must demonstrate that he or she has exhausted all other forms of support.  This chapter will use the term “welfare” to describe all forms of income support provided by the BC government under the province’s welfare legislation.

While the government’s policy on welfare is not law, it is an important lens for understanding welfare   law in BC.  Ministry policy sets out the practical details of how welfare is to be administered.  The Ministry’s welfare policies are contained in “BC Employment and Assistance Policy and Procedure Manual”, which is available at http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/policies-for-government/bcea-policy-and-procedure-manual The Policy and Procedure Manual incorporates MSDPR policy with the rules set out in the welfare legislation. It is an extremely useful tool for researching welfare law and policy.

| On income assistance, a single person under age 65 currently receives '''$710.00 per month''' to cover housing, utilities, food, transportation, clothing, and all other basic necessities.

| On disability assistance, a single person under age 65 currently receives '''$1033.42''' to cover housing, utilities, food, transportation, clothing, and all other basic necessities (or $52 per month more if the person chooses not to have a bus pass).