Income-assistance families can work, keep more cash: B.C. government
VICTORIA – The B.C. government says it hopes to move more families living on income assistance back into the workforce by increasing the amount of extra cash they're allowed to earn and keep.
Currently, families with able-bodied and disabled children can earn an extra $200 and $300 a month, respectively, without the government clawing back income-assistance payments.
The Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation says it will raise those exemptions to $400 and $500 a month starting Sept. 1.
Under the same plan, the government will allow families to participate in supplemental dental, optical and medical coverage for a year after leaving income assistance.
About 10,600 families are expected to benefit from the program that the ministry hopes will encourage people to pursue work, even if it's part time.
Last month, the government made a separate announcement, saying it would eliminate social services clawbacks for about 3,200 families on income and disability assistance.
"We know that people who can work want to be self sufficient, support their families and contribute to their communities," Social Development Minister Michelle Stilwell said.
"Giving people the opportunity to keep more of what they earn without affecting their assistance will make a real difference for people and help reduce the barriers they face as they transition to employment," she said in a statement.
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6 responses
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how about drug and alcohol testing.. best our province gets out of debt real fast..and yet our husbands are getting axed in the oilfield but we still have to pay the druggies and alcoholics right.. SCREW YOU GOVERNMENT!
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I was in mgmtthe majority of these people tell thier work that they can only do 20 hrs a week cause then it gets taken off thier welfare check anyway.. seriously.. what did u fix.
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more incentive to keep them all on welfare and me paying for them! they friggin makemore money than I do for petes sake.
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Training or retraining should be an option and be pushed! With daycare paid for. Social assistance should be a short time solution.
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PWD is when you pay up front dental/denture costs,,and then it is no reimbursed.Try and get a social worker approve for dentist/denture work.
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FINALLY, a practical idea! Now if they could just get on board with training some of these people for work that will actually SUSTAIN them so that they can get OFF the ‘poky train’ that would be sooo awesome.
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