It was announced on January 9th, that the Ministry of Social Development & Poverty Reduction is taking steps to improve supports for people dealing with poverty.
People experiencing poverty now have better access to income and disability assistance through a series of changes designed to give them the help they need, when they need it.
“We took a careful look at the existing policies for income and disability assistance and asked if they’re helping or harming the people they are meant to support,” said Shane Simpson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “All of these changes are removing unnecessary barriers that prevent people who were already struggling to get the support they need to break out of the cycle of poverty.”
Changes to the Employment and Assistance Act and the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act and regulations took effect on Jan. 1, 2020. These include:
- ending the requirement for seniors to pursue Canada Pension Plan retirement benefits before the age of 65;
- expanding access to security deposits and introducing a pet damage deposit;
- amending the definition of spouse; and
- eliminating the two-year independence rule.
The CIS team and policy amendments are part of a cross-government effort to better connect people with the services they need. Barriers, like a lack of identification or a security deposit for a home, can prevent people from receiving important services, accessing income assistance or finding stable housing. Government is identifying and reducing barriers by updating policies and ensuring that the changes reach the people they are designed to help.
The changes are part of a series of amendments. The first set of changes took effect in July 2019 and included expanding access to the identification supplement, removing the $10,000 asset limit on a primary vehicle and expanding the moving supplement for people to move anywhere in B.C. All of the changes reflect the principles of affordability, accessibility, social inclusion and reconciliation, as laid out in TogetherBC: British Columbia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy.
CVS welcomes the changes the government is making to improve benefits for those facing poverty. This is essential in improving our society as a whole and building inclusive communities.
For more information on this announcement, please click here.
Better Supports for People Dealing with Poverty
Posted: January 17, 2020 by cvsadmin
It was announced on January 9th, that the Ministry of Social Development & Poverty Reduction is taking steps to improve supports for people dealing with poverty.
People experiencing poverty now have better access to income and disability assistance through a series of changes designed to give them the help they need, when they need it.
“We took a careful look at the existing policies for income and disability assistance and asked if they’re helping or harming the people they are meant to support,” said Shane Simpson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “All of these changes are removing unnecessary barriers that prevent people who were already struggling to get the support they need to break out of the cycle of poverty.”
Changes to the Employment and Assistance Act and the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act and regulations took effect on Jan. 1, 2020. These include:
The CIS team and policy amendments are part of a cross-government effort to better connect people with the services they need. Barriers, like a lack of identification or a security deposit for a home, can prevent people from receiving important services, accessing income assistance or finding stable housing. Government is identifying and reducing barriers by updating policies and ensuring that the changes reach the people they are designed to help.
The changes are part of a series of amendments. The first set of changes took effect in July 2019 and included expanding access to the identification supplement, removing the $10,000 asset limit on a primary vehicle and expanding the moving supplement for people to move anywhere in B.C. All of the changes reflect the principles of affordability, accessibility, social inclusion and reconciliation, as laid out in TogetherBC: British Columbia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy.
CVS welcomes the changes the government is making to improve benefits for those facing poverty. This is essential in improving our society as a whole and building inclusive communities.
For more information on this announcement, please click here.
Category: Information
Upcoming Events