Income Treatment & Exemptions

Effective: November 1, 2024

Clients are required to pursue, accept, and use all possible income and other means of support before income assistance or disability assistance may be issued.  [For more information on the requirement to pursue income, see Related Links – Pursuing Income.]

To be eligible for income assistance or disability assistance, a family unit’s net income must not equal or exceed the amount of income assistance or disability assistance that would be payable to a family unit of that size and composition.  [see Rate Tables – Income Assistance and Disability Assistance.]

By regulation, income can be earned, unearned, or not considered income. 

Eligibility is determined based on all available income and applicable exemptions.  Exemptions on income apply only in the calendar month in which the income is actually received regardless of the date the income is earned or payable or the date the income is reported. 

Compensation payments considered exempt under regulation may continue to be exempt when converted to a non‑exempt asset.  [For more information, see Related Links – Assets and Exemptions – Policy – Types of Assets – Compensation Payments.]

Recipients of income assistance or hardship assistance are required to submit a Monthly Report (HR0081) each month, where they must report all income to the ministry as outlined in the brochure, How to Complete Your “Monthly Report” Form.  [For Brochure, see Additional Resources.]

Recipients of disability assistance are required to submit a monthly report when one or more of the following occur:

• they receive earned income;
• they receive unearned income that is a specified income replacement benefit from:
  • Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) payment under section 191 [temporary total disability] or 192 [temporary partial disability] of the Workers Compensation Act; or
  • ICBC Enhanced Care Coverage Income Replacement Benefits (ICBC ECC IRB) provided under the Insurance (Vehicle) Act that is referred to in any of the following sections of that Act:
    • section 131 [full-time earners], as modified by section 132 if applicable;
    • section 133 [temporary earners and part-time earners];
    • section 134 [non-earners];
    • section 137 [student entitled to income replacement benefit];
    • section 138 [benefit for student unable to begin or continue studies];
    • section 139 [benefit for student able to begin or continue studies];
    • section 142 [minor entitled to income replacement benefit];
    • section 143 [benefit for minor unable to begin or continue studies];
    • section 144 [benefit for minor able to begin or continue studies];
• they receive any other income and/or money if it is the first time they have received the money or the amount has changed. 
• there is any other change in their circumstances that arose in the previous calendar month.

Family units receiving income assistance with a member in the PPMB category or with a member residing in a special care facility [see Policy – Monthly Reporting Requirements] have nearly the same reporting requirements as recipients of disability assistance. The exception is they do not have to report a specified income replacement benefit from the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) or ICBC every month. These benefits are unearned income to be reported if it is the first time they have received the money or the amount has changed.  

For detailed information on how specific types of income are treated, see the applicable topics in Policy below.

For more information on earnings exemptions, see Policy, Earnings Exemptions.

For Monthly Report, see Forms and Letters.  [For more information on monthly reporting requirements, see Related Links – Monthly Reporting Requirement.]

Effective: December 1, 2003

Any amount garnished, attached, seized, deducted, or set off from income is considered income, unless it qualifies for an exemption.  The only deductions permitted from earned income are the following when deducted at source for:

• income tax
• Employment Insurance
• medical insurance
• Canada Pension Plan
• superannuation
• company pension plan
• union dues

Effective: December 1, 2003

Any amount garnished, attached, seized, deducted, or set off from income is considered income, unless it qualifies for an exemption.  The only deductions permitted from unearned income are the following:

• any income tax deducted at source from Employment Insurance benefits
• essential operating costs of renting self-contained suites

Effective: November 1, 2024

Earnings exemptions provide clients who work with the ability to keep additional income over and above their monthly assistance payment, offering them an opportunity to build job skills and experience to increase employability, take advantage of part-time or temporary work, and better provide for their families while receiving assistance.

Income assistance applicants are eligible for an earnings exemption if the family unit includes a person who has received income assistance or disability assistance in at least one of the preceding six calendar months. Otherwise, income assistance applicants are required to serve a one month waiting period before being eligible for an earnings exemption.

Disability assistance applicants are eligible for an earnings exemption if the family unit includes:

• a person designated as a Person with Disabilities (PWD) who previously received disability assistance (i.e. a returning PWD client); or
• a person who received income assistance or disability assistance for at least one of the preceding six calendar months.

The single highest exemption that applies to a family unit will be provided each month, they cannot be combined. For example, if a PPMB client is a single parent, they are eligible for the $1,080/month PPMB earnings exemption, as it is higher than the $900/month family unit with a dependent child exemption.

Hardship assistance recipients are not eligible for an earnings exemption.

Monthly Earnings Exemption – Income Assistance

Income assistance clients are eligible for a monthly earnings exemption.  The level of exemption is based on family unit size and composition – see table below.

The monthly earnings exemption can only be applied to earned income.  Earned income is any of the following:

• any money or value received in exchange for work or the provision of a service
• pension plan contributions that are refunded because of insufficient contributions to create a pension
• money or value received from providing room and board at a person’s place of residence
• money or value received from renting rooms that are common to and part of a person’s place of residence

For more information on income eligible for earning exemptions, see Policy, Employment Income – Income Assistance Recipients, Rental Income and Self Employment Program Income

Annual Earnings Exemption – Disability Assistance

Disability assistance clients are eligible for an annual earnings exemption (AEE).  The AEE allows individuals on disability assistance to use their earnings exemption on an annual, instead of monthly, basis and without a monthly maximum.  The intent of AEE is to better assist individuals whose ability to earn fluctuates during the year, for example, due to medical conditions.

A family unit’s annual exemption limit is based on family unit size, composition and number of qualifying months in the calendar year – see table below under AEE limits.

The annual earnings exemption can only be applied to qualifying income.  Qualifying income is either of the following:

• Earned income, meaning:
  • any money or value received in exchange for work or the provision of a service,
  • pension plan contributions that are refunded because of insufficient contributions to create a pension,
  • money or value received from providing room and board at a person’s place of residence,
  • money or value received from renting rooms that are common to and part of a person’s place of residence; and
• Unearned income that is a specified income replacement benefit from the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) or ICBC.

Each calendar year, AEE covers qualifying income received from January 1 to December 31, for March to February assistance months.

First time disability assistance recipients are required to serve a one-month waiting period before being eligible for the exemption unless they received income assistance for at least one of the preceding six calendar months. Returning PWD designated clients who have previously received disability assistance have no wait period.

PWD designated clients in receipt of Medical Services Only coverage as a result of employment income should continue to submit monthly reports in order for the ministry to re-establish eligibility for disability assistance when:

1. the client’s income falls below the disability assistance rate; or
2. the client is eligible for an annual earnings exemption in the new calendar year

 [For more information, see Related Links - BCEA Application - Stage 1 – Prospecting - Medical Services Only Clients Requesting Assistance].

AEE limits

A family unit’s AEE limit is established in the initial qualifying month for the family unit and calculated using the base amount for the family unit multiplied by the number of qualifying months remaining in the calendar year. 

Under the AEE, there is only an annual exemption limit – there is no monthly maximum.  Once the family unit is eligible for earnings exemptions, the amount of a family unit’s disability assistance is not impacted by earnings received up to the family unit’s AEE limit. Once a family unit’s AEE limit is reached, any additional earnings received will be deducted dollar for dollar from their disability assistance.

Each calendar year is a new exemption year. Any remaining exemption from the previous year does not carry over into the new exemption year.

In a family unit containing two recipients, both recipients do not have to be employed to be eligible for the maximum exemption.  As long as there are two recipients in the family unit, they are eligible for the full exemption, regardless of who earns the income.

Combined Income:

Some family units may receive a combination of income where there are two types of qualifying income.   

For example: A PWD recipient receives $700 in WCB temporary wage loss replacement benefits and their spouse earns $600 in employment income.  The total combined qualifying income is $1,300. As long as the family unit has enough limit remaining in their annual earning exemption, they would be eligible for a total exemption of $1,300.  Any non-qualifying income would be deducted from their disability assistance.

For more information on earnings exemptions, see Policy, Employment Income – Disability Assistance Recipients, Rental Income, Self-Employment Program Income and Workers’ Compensation Board

Change in Family Circumstances

If there is a change in family circumstances during the calendar year, then the amount remaining in the family unit’s AEE limit will be adjusted (increased or decreased) based on the circumstances of that change (e.g.: the addition of spouse to a family unit or separation from a spouse or a period of ineligibility within the year).

Note: Separation from or addition of a spouse results in the formation of a new family unit. The AEE limit for this new family unit will be established starting with a new initial qualifying month.

Family Separation: When couples on disability assistance separate in the middle of the exemption year, the individuals move onto their own cases and no longer share an AEE limit. Each PWD client will have their AEE limit pro-rated for the remainder of the year, starting the month after the couple separates. Qualifying income declared in the exemption year prior to the separation is not deducted from the pro-rated amount. Individuals who do not have the PWD designation and remain on income assistance will change over to the applicable monthly earnings exemption.

Leaving Assistance and Returning within the Exemption Year: When an individual or family on disability assistance (DA) is no longer receiving DA and begins receiving assistance in the same year, their AEE limit upon return is prorated because they were only receiving DA for a portion of the exemption year.  Qualifying income while they were previously eligible is deducted from the prorated amount. Income received while off of assistance is not counted.

When a PWD client is no longer receiving DA and later begins receiving assistance as part of a new family unit (change in family composition) all within the same exemption year, the new family unit’s AEE will be a combined total of the residual AEE room of both individuals taking into account any period of ineligibility for assistance. 

[For details on the calculations used to establish the AEE limit in the initial qualifying month and subsequent months, see Additional Resources – Policy Summary of AEE Regulation]

It is important for clients using the AEE to keep track of their earnings and the remaining amount of their AEE limit.  Clients may want to use the AEE Income Tracking Sheet [see  Additional Resources]. In addition, the ministry will send PWD clients an income threshold letter (HR3508) if they reach or exceed 75 percent of their AEE limit [see Forms and Letters].

If a PWD client has used up their AEE limit for the exemption year, any additional earned income is deducted dollar for dollar from their DA.  If earnings exceed the amount of disability assistance, the client will be eligible for Medical Services Only coverage. [see Related Links – Medical Services Only]

Effective: December 20, 2022

The BC Family Benefit (BCFB) is a tax-free monthly payment made to eligible families to help them with the cost of raising children under the age of 18. The BCFB replaced the BC Child Opportunity Benefit on January 1, 2023. (Note: The BC Child Opportunity Benefit replaced the BC Early Childhood Tax Benefit on October 1, 2020.) Benefits from this program are combined with the federal Canada Child Benefit program into a single monthly payment..

[For retroactive payments, see Policy- Canada Child Benefit.]

Effective: July 21, 2006

Effective: December 20, 2022

The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a tax-free monthly federal government benefit, administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), designed to assist low- and modest-income families with the cost of raising their children. The CCB year runs from July 1 to June 30.  Any child benefits payments received from July to June of the current year are based on the information from the income tax return filed for the previous calendar year. 

Families must file their income tax return by April 30^th each year in order to receive the monthly child benefits payments from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). A delay in filing an income tax return may result in a delay, cancellation or suspension of monthly child benefits payments. Once a late income tax return has been processed by the CRA, the family unit may receive a retroactive or lump sum child benefits payment. 

Any retroactive child benefits payment, including the Canada Child Benefit (CCB), Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB), National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS), Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB), BC Family Bonus, Child Disability Benefit (CDB), BC Early Childhood Tax Benefit (BCECTB), BC Child Opportunity Benefit (BCCOB) and BC Family Benefit (BCFB) is exempt as income, except any portion of the CCB, NCBS or BC Family Bonus that was paid for a period of time for which a client also received a temporary child benefits supplement or temporary family bonus top-up supplement.

The following applies to recipients of income assistance, disability assistance, hardship assistance and CIHR:

Case example #1 - Retroactive payment is less than total temporary child benefits top-up supplement or total former temporary FB top up supplement issued

Sandra has one child, and is receiving assistance (support and shelter) of $1,405 per month. Sandra filed taxes in July and is not yet receiving monthly child benefits or former FB payments. A Temporary Child Benefits Top-up Supplement or former Temporary FB Top-up Supplement was issued for July, August, September, and October, totaling $551.91. At the end of October, Sandra received a child benefits or former FB retroactive payment in the amount of $500. The deduction from Sandra's assistance for November is $500, since the retroactive payment was less than what was issued via the temporary child benefits top-up supplement or former temporary FB top up supplement.

Income Assistance (IA) cheque calculation:

$1,405  - $500 = $905
(Total IA) - (retroactive child benefits or former FB payment) = IA cheque amount

Case example #2 – Retroactive payment is more than total temporary child benefits top-up supplement or total temporary FB top-up issued

Joe has one child and applied for assistance on July 28, and is receiving assistance (support and shelter) of $1,405 per month. Joe filed his taxes late and is not yet receiving monthly child benefits or former FB payments. A Temporary Child Benefits Top-up Supplement or Temporary FB Top-up Supplement was issued for August, September, and October, totaling $428.41. At the end of October, Joe received a Family Bonus retroactive payment in the amount of $1,500. The deduction from Joe's assistance for November is $428.41, which equals the amount of temporary child benefits top-up supplement or former temporary FB top-up supplement issued to Joe for the months since July. The balance of the retroactive payment ($1071.59) is exempt.

Income Assistance (IA) cheque calculation:

$1,405  - $428.41 = $976.59
(Total IA) - (temporary child benefits top-up supplement or former FB temporary top up payments since July) = IA cheque amount

Case example #3 – Both the retroactive payment and amount of temporary top-up issued exceed the total amount of assistance – IA cheque reduced to zero

Anna and Sam have four children and receive $1,895 monthly in support and shelter plus a diet supplement of $40, for a total assistance amount of $1,935. They filed their taxes late and received a Temporary Child Benefits Top-up Supplement or Temporary FB Top-up Supplement of $494 per month for Jul/Aug/Sep, and $647.25 for Oct, for a total payment of $2,129.25.  In late October, they receive a child benefits or FB retroactive payment of $3,400. The deduction from their November assistance is $1,935. The amount of the deduction is capped at the amount of one month’s assistance. The family unit is not eligible for November, but there is no further debt or reduction in relation to the child benefits or FB retroactive payment. Unless there are other changes in circumstances, they are eligible for December assistance.

Income Assistance (IA) cheque calculation:

$1,935 - $2,129.25 = $0
(Total IA) - (temporary child benefits top-up supplement or temporary FB top up supplement payments since July) = IA cheque amount

Case example #4 – No Temporary Child Benefits Top-up Supplement or former temporary FB Top-up Supplement issued and retro payment is fully exempt

Sue began receiving assistance in April, shortly after Sue's children went to live with their other parent. Sue is receiving $1,060 per month as a single person and has not received any temporary child benefits top-up supplement or former temporary FB top up supplement. In November, Sue received a retroactive child benefits or former FB payment owed to Sue for the period Sue's children were with Sue, in the amount of $1,400. Since Sue did not receive any temporary child benefits top-up supplement or former Temporary FB Top-up Supplement, the child benefits or FB retroactive payment is fully exempt.

[For more information on the CCB and the Child Benefits Top-up Supplement, see Related Links – Child Benefits Top-up Supplement.]

[For more information on the CDB, see Policy- Child Disability Benefit]

[For more information on the BCFB see Policy- BC Family Benefit]

Effective: December 19, 2022

The interim Canada Dental Benefit is a federal tax-free payment intended to help lower dental costs for eligible families earning less than $90,000 per year. Parents and guardians can apply if the child receiving dental care is under 12 years old, does not have access to a private dental insurance plan, and the child’s dental costs are not fully covered by another dental program provided by any level of government.

If the eligibility conditions are met, benefit payments are made by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

Effective: December 19, 2022

The Canada Rental Housing Benefit is an income tested, tax-free, one-time payment of $500 intended to help low-income renters with the cost of renting.  

If the eligibility conditions are met, the benefit payments are made by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

Effective: May 21, 2024

Canada Pension Plan (CPP) income is not exempt, with the following two exceptions:

• a surviving child’s benefit—also called CPP orphan’s benefit
• a disabled contributor’s child benefit

Note: Both CPP orphans and Child of a Disabled Contributor benefits paid to a child in the home of a relative are not considered parental contributions and therefore do not affect Child in Home of a Relative (CIHR) payments.

Clients are required to report the total CPP benefits for which they are eligible.  CPP income received by the client in the current month must be reported by the 5^th day of the following month to impact their income assistance for the month following that.

Note: All CPP benefit types are considered unearned income.  Amounts withheld at source by Service Canada are also included as income. 

[For information on the requirement to pursue CPP benefits, see Related Links – Pursuing Income – Policy – Canada Pension Plan – Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).]

Canada Pension Plan Data Match

The ministry sends client SINs (except CIHR) to Service Canada each month.  Service Canada returns an electronic file of all CPP payments made to those clients in the specified month. 

The CPP payment information is automatically loaded to the system 10 days after cheque issue each month.  

Ministry workers, Quality Compliance Specialists and Supervisors are able to override the uploaded CPP amount if a client reports that they are receiving more CPP income than is reported by Service Canada or if the client demonstrates that they did not receive the amount reported by Service Canada.

CPP should not be overridden to compensate clients for Public Guardian and Trustee Administration fees.

Staff should not override the reported CPP to record amounts that the client is repaying to Service Canada for prior CPP overpayments.  The CPP overpayment amount would have been reported to the ministry in the month the client received the overpayment and would have been deducted from their assistance at that time.

NOTE:  CPP income is uploaded to the system monthly.  A rate recalculation occurs automatically after the CPP benefits are uploaded [For more information, see Procedures.]

Retroactive Payments

A client only receives a lump sum retroactive CPP payment when CPP is approved and no Consent to Deduct (ISP1613) has been completed, or the CPP amount exceeds the amount assigned on the ISP1613.  If an ISP1613 was completed, the retroactive CPP payment is sent to the ministry.

Retroactive CPP income will be treated as unearned income and is considered to have been received by the recipient in that month.

Lump sum payments received under the CPP Class Action Settlement Agreement as approved by the Supreme Court, Kelowna Registry in Action No. S50808, are treated as “other financial awards” and are exempt from unearned income up to the allowable asset level for the family unit.  Eligible exempt assets may be purchased and recipients will not be deemed to have inappropriately disposed of property or assets.

Undeclared retroactive CPP payments are to be treated as any other undeclared unearned income.

Disabled Contributor’s Child Benefit

The Canada Pension Plan has benefits for the child of, or a child in the care and control of, a CPP disability recipient.  To be eligible, the child must be under 18 or between the ages of 18 and 25 and in full-time attendance at a recognized educational institution. This benefit is exempt.

CPP Tax Exemption

Effective January 2003, there is a monthly tax exemption on gross CPP income for eligible clients.  The amount of this CPP tax exemption will be automatically calculated by the system.  The CPP tax exemption is based on a formula that estimates the monthly tax liability for each client, and replaces the CPP adjustment supplement.  The maximum CPP tax exemption is $100 per month.  This maximum does not apply to clients who are compensated via imprest cheque for their tax liability on retroactive payments assigned through the ISP1613 process.  Clients will be responsible for all tax liabilities arising from CPP income received in 2003 and subsequent years.  Clients must declare all gross CPP income on their Monthly Report (HR0081). 

CPP Tax Exemption on Retroactive CPP Assigned to Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

The monthly amount of CPP Tax Exemption owing to eligible clients must be applied to retroactive CPP benefits that were assigned to the ministry using the ISP 1613 Consent to Deduct form.  Only clients who receive the CPP Tax Exemption on their monthly CPP amount are eligible.  The $100 maximum CPP Tax Exemption amount does not apply to clients who are compensated via imprest cheque for their tax liability on retroactive payments assigned through the ISP1613 process. 

Clients who did not assign CPP benefits to the ministry are not eligible for the CPP Tax Exemption on the retroactive amount.

Clients who are not eligible for the monthly CPP Tax Exemption (i.e., these clients do not incur a tax liability) are not to be compensated for retroactive CPP assigned to the ministry.

Example:

A client applies for CPP disability and signs the ISP1613 Consent to Deduct form.  Twelve months later the client is found eligible for CPP disability.

The gross ongoing monthly amount is uploaded to the system and the monthly CPP Tax Exemption amount is calculated at $14.

The ministry receives twelve months of retroactive CPP disability (Note: in some cases, clients may be eligible for CPP prior to the date that the ISP1613 is signed; the tax exemption applies to all retroactive CPP assigned to the ministry).  In this particular case, the client must be reimbursed $168 for tax liabilities on CPP assigned to the ministry via the CPP Tax Exemption formula ($14 monthly CPP Tax Exemption * 12 months of retroactive CPP = $168). 

For more information regarding these CPP Benefit Types, see Contacts – Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan.

For more information on the Canada Pension Plan data match, Canada Pension Plan Retroactive Payments, or CPP Tax Exemption on Retroactive payments assigned to the ministry, see Procedures.

Effective: September 20, 2020

The Child Disability Benefit (CDB) is a tax-free monthly payment made to families who care for a child under age 18 with a severe and prolonged impairment in physical or mental functions. To receive the CDB, families must be eligible for the Canada Child Benefit and the child must be eligible for the federal disability tax credit. If these conditions are met, payments are made automatically with Canada Child Benefit payments.

[For more information on retroactive payments, see Policy- Canada Child Benefit.] 

Effective: May 5, 2008

[For more information, see Related Links – Assets and Exemptions.]

Effective: May 5, 2008

Note: The retroactive criminal injury compensation refers to payments made under the Criminal Injury Compensation Act, for claimants who were minor victims of assault in which these compensation decisions were deferred.  [For more information, see Related Links – Assets and Exemptions.]

Effective: July 25, 2007

An Education Gift from Nisga’a Lisims Government is provided annually to assist Nisga’a citizens with their children’s schooling costs.  Nisga’a citizens who are also ministry clients can receive the Nisga’a Education Gift and the School Start-up Supplement for the same school year.

[For related information regarding recipients of hardship assistance, see Related Links – Eligibility for Hardship Assistance – Policy – Income and Asset Exemptions for Hardship Assistance]

[For related information, see Related Links – School Start-up Supplement]

Effective: August 1, 2024

Also see Policy – Deductions from Earned Income.

Effective: November 1, 2024

Also see Policy – Deductions from Earned Income.

Note: For Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) income received by recipients of disability assistance, also see Policy – Workers’ Compensation Board.

Note: Clients must report all qualifying income (earned income and specified income replacement benefits from the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) or ICBC) they receive every month by completing a Monthly Report Form (HR0081). [For more information on reporting requirements, see Related Links – Monthly Reporting Requirement.]

To be eligible for the annual exemption, new PWD clients must have been in receipt of income assistance or disability assistance for at least one of the preceding six calendar months. Returning PWD clients have no wait period. [For more information on treatment of qualifying income and earnings exemptions, see Policy – Earnings Exemption.]

Effective: October 1, 2016

Effective: December 1, 2003

Energy rebates refer to payments provided by the Government of Canada, the Government of British Columbia, or an agency of either government (for example, Relief for Heating Expenses, BC energy rebate, and BC Hydro credits).

Fuel rebates refer to payments provided by the Government of Canada, the Government of British Columbia, or an agency of either government (for example, motor vehicle fuel tax rebate).

Effective: October 1, 2005

Fair Pharmacare refunds refer to retroactive payments (refund cheques) issued to reimburse individuals for money paid out of pocket for prescription costs over a one-year period.

Effective: September 1, 2015

In order to be considered Child Support and exempt as income, a Child Support payment must meet a family maintenance obligation to a child [See Definitions for Child Support and Spousal Support]. 

Note:  If a client receives both child and spousal support, payments should be applied to the current month first based on the amounts set out in the client’s support order or agreement, with priority given to child support when the reported total support payment is lower than the scheduled payment amount.  After the current month is credited, payments are credited to arrears.  Child support arrears and spousal support arrears are credited based on the percentage split in the order or agreement.

Example 1:  A client has an order for $200 child support and $50 spousal support. If the client receives $300 in support in a given month, $200 will be credited as child support and $50 will be credited as spousal support to satisfy the current month’s support obligations. The remaining “arrears” of $50 is split between child support and spousal support based on the percentage split in the order. In this case the order is for 80% child support and 20% spousal, so the $50 would be determined to be $40 child support and $10 spousal support.

Example 2:  A client has an order for $200 child support and $50 spousal support.  If the client receives $150 in support in a given month, $150 will be credited as child support and $0 will be credited to spousal support.

[See also Related Links – Information and Verification – Policy – Role of Ministry Staff.]

Effective: August 1, 2024

Non-recurring awards that are not specifically defined in regulation as exempt can be considered “other awards” under Schedule B, Section 7 and exempt up to the family’s asset level [see Policy – Gifts for examples of what the ministry considers to be recurring and non-recurring income].

Some examples include criminal injury and other lump sum payouts (see table below).

Recurring financial awards are considered unearned income and must be considered when calculating eligibility for assistance.

If the payments are from a structured settlement, they are treated the same way as payments from a trust.  [For more information, see Related Links – Trusts – Policy – Structured Settlements.]

Insurance benefits paid as compensation for a destroyed asset are not considered to be income.

See also Policy – Payments Related to an Injury.

For information on Assessing Eligibility when Income is Exempt up to Asset Level, see Procedures.

Effective: December 1, 2015

For the purposes of the BCEA program, gifts received by a client, include cash or stocks, bonds, shares, and interest-bearing accounts or properties that can easily be converted to cash.

A gift does not have to be directly provided to a client. It could be in the form of payment by another person to pay a debt or obligation. Examples include a parent paying a client’s car insurance or BC Hydro bill.

Non-Recurring Gifts

To determine if a gift is non-recurring, the following should be considered:

• The frequency of the gift. Infrequent, occasional gifts that do not have a regular pattern are considered non-recurring. A gift that occurs regularly once per year, such as a birthday gift, is considered non-recurring.
• The source of the gift. Generally, multiple gifts provided by different sources are considered non-recurring. For example, a person provides a gift to a client and then in the next month another gift is provided to the client by a different person.

Examples:

A non-recurring gift:

• A client receives gifts of $20, $50, and $30 as birthday presents from different people.
• A client receives a gift of $50 from a non-profit organization.

A recurring gift:

• A client receives a $100 gift on a monthly basis from an uncle.
• A client receives a $500 gift on a quarterly basis from a parent.

Note: Payments from trusts or inheritances are treated separately. See related policy for more information.

Effective: December 1, 2003

Effective: January 20, 2014

Effective: October 3, 2014

Effective: August 8, 2007

1986-1990 Settlement Agreement refers to compensation received under the settlement agreement which provides compensation for persons infected with the Hepatitis C Virus through blood or blood products between 1986 and July 1, 1990.

Pre-1986-Post 1990 Settlement Agreement refers to compensation received under the settlement agreement which provides compensation for persons infected with the Hepatitis C Virus through blood or blood products prior to 1986 and after July 1, 1990.

For information on Assessing Eligibility when Income is Exempt up to Asset Level, see Procedures.

Effective November 1, 2024

Note:  Not all ICBC income is treated the same.

Recipients of disability assistance must report all qualifying income [earned income and specified income replacement benefits from the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) or ICBC] they receive every month by completing a Monthly Report Form (HR0081). [For more information on reporting requirements, see Related Links – Monthly Reporting Requirement.]

To be eligible for the annual exemption, new PWD clients must have been in receipt of income assistance or disability assistance for at least one of the preceding six calendar months. Returning PWD clients have no wait period. [For more information on treatment of qualifying income and earnings exemptions, see Policy – Earnings Exemption.]

See also Policy – Payments Related to an Injury.

Effective: March 1, 2024

Effective: April 5, 2023

Payments resulting from an order of a court, an award or order of a tribunal or arbitrator or a settlement agreement that meet the following conditions:

1. The payments relate to one or more of the following:
   • Indigenous identity;
   • Indigenous rights and/or land claims; or
   • Obligations or breach of obligations to Indigenous Peoples;
     and
2. The terms of the order, award or settlement agreement require the federal/provincial/territorial government or crown corporation to make the payment to an Indigenous governing body (an entity that is authorized to act on behalf of Indigenous Peoples) or to an individual who is a member of a class of persons on whose behalf the order, award or agreement is made.

Examples of these payments include but are not limited to:

• Indian Day School Settlements;
• Indian Residential School Settlements;
• Missanabie Cree First Nation Treaty Land Entitlement Settlement Agreement;
• Peepeekisis Cree Nation File Hills Colony Specific Claim Settlement Agreement;
• Settlement Agreements Relating to the 1959 Transfer of the Seabird Island Reserve;
• Sixties Scoop Settlement Agreement;
• Songhees Nation and Esquimalt Nation Settlement Agreements;
• Treaty No.8 Agricultural Benefits Settlement; and
• Williams Treaties Settlement Agreement.

 Note: If Indigenous Financial Settlements and/or the return on investment from Indigenous Financial Settlements is mixed with funds from other sources prior to being disbursed to an individual, documentation demonstrating which portion of the payment is from the settlement and/or the return on investment is required.

Effective: December 1, 2015

An inheritance is considered money or other value received, by will or as the result of intestacy, from the estate of a deceased person.

[For treatment of testamentary trusts see Related Links – Trusts]

Effective: December 1, 2003

Effective: December 1, 2003

Effective: December 14, 2004

Funds received from a loan, credit card, line of credit or reverse mortgage are not considered income.  For more information, see Related Links – Assets and Exemptions.

Effective: December 1, 2003

Effective: February 11, 2019

Effective: August 1, 2024

*Note:  For SAJE LIFE-Skills, Training and Cultural Connections programming see Related Links - Education and Training - Policy - Unfunded Programs of Study.

Three Generation Families

Ministry of Children and Family Development payments under section 8 (2) or 93 (1) (g) (ii) of the Child, Family and Community Service Act for a parenting dependent child (PDC) are treated as follows:

• When the PDC’s child is added to their parent’s case, no assistance would be provided for the PDC as financial support for the PDC is provided by the Ministry of Children and Family Development.
• When a PDC applies as a single parent while living with their parent, the PDC’s eligibility is reduced by the amount of the Ministry of Children and Family Development payments provided for the PDC (Note these payments will be made to the PDC’s parent).

[For policy and procedures on providing assistance to three-generation families, see Related Links – Family Composition – Policy and Procedures – Three-Generation Families.]

Effective: May 1, 2005

MOH refers to the Ministry of Health.

A designated agency refers to an agency that has been approved by a health authority to provide services on its behalf, in accordance with regulations and policies the health authority is subject to.

A client with a mental disorder refers to a person with a mental health and/or substance abuse disorder using the services of a health authority or a designated agency of a health authority. 

Effective: November 28, 2022

Effective: March 17, 2014

Effective: December 1, 2003

Effective: August 1, 2024

Money paid for the purpose of expenses resulting from an injury is fully exempt.  

• For example, if ICBC
• provides a payment to pay for a wheelchair, the money provided for this purpose is exempt.  

Money paid in relation to an injury, that the payor does not specify as being paid to cover injury expenses, may be exempt depending on how it will be used. If the ministry is satisfied the money will be used to pay for expense(s) that are necessary only because of the injury, the amount of money spent on the expense(s) is exempt.

• For example, a negotiated settlement payment for pain and suffering resulting from an injury is not exempt. However, if the ministry is satisfied a person was injured, a wheelchair is necessary due to the injury, and a portion of the pain and suffering payment provided for the injury will be used to buy a wheelchair, the amount used to pay for the wheelchair is exempt.

Examples of payors that may provide payments for injury-related expenses:

Examples of types of expenses that may be exempt include but are not limited to:

Note: A payment used to reimburse out-of-pocket expenses already paid will be exempt in the month it is received. It will not result in any retroactive re-determination of eligibility for assistance nor any administrative underpayment review.  

• For example, if a person paid for housekeeping services out of pocket, then later received a WorkSafeBC payment for housekeeping services, the money is fully exempt.

For payments related to an injury that will be used for anticipated expenses, see Related Links – Assets & Exemptions – Policy – Payments Related to an Injury.

Effective: December 1, 2003

Effective: April 1, 2017

Effective: February 6, 2006 

Clients are required to report the gross amount of all Québec Pension Plan (QPP) payments that they receive.  QPP income received by the client in the current month must be reported by the 5^th day of the following month to impact their income assistance for the month following that.  QPP is considered unearned income.  The only exemption from QPP income is the system calculated tax exemption.

Effective: July 20, 2011

[For more information, see Related Links – Trusts.]

Reporting Contributions

Clients do not need to report RDSP balances or contributions from outside their family unit, but are required to report personal contributions, contributions from their family unit, and disbursements.

Effective: December 1, 2003

[For more information, see Related Links – Assets and Exemptions.]

Effective: December 1, 2003

The combined income and assets of members of a religious order is taken into consideration when assessing eligibility of a member who is applying for assistance.  A financial statement of a religious order’s income is required.  The value set for goods and services (such as board and lodging, clothing, personal care, intermediate care, homemaker service, comforts allowance) received by a member of a religious order must be calculated in assessing eligibility.

Effective: April 24, 2018

Effective: February 1, 2021

Effective: August 1, 2024

[For more information, see related Links – Assets & Exemptions]

Effective: January 19, 2015

[For more information, see Related Links – Self-Employment Program (SEP) for PPMB and PWD.]

Effective: December 1, 2003

Effective: November 4, 2021

Clients (an applicant or recipient) who declare student funding must first be assessed for eligibility for assistance [see Related Links – Education & Training]. These exemptions only apply to clients who are assessed as eligible for income assistance or disability assistance while participating in a program of study.

Student funding is considered unearned income and includes all types of funding for a program of studies:

• Student Financial Assistance
• Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) withdrawals
• Education and training allowances
• Grants
• Scholarships
• Bursaries

Income Assistance

For recipients participating in an unfunded program of studies (full or part-time), or a part-time funded program of studies, student funding is exempt up to the sum of a student’s education costs and daycare costs. Any portion provided for living costs, including income received for support or shelter, is deducted from their assistance.

For recipients who have been determined by the ministry to be eligible to participate in a full-time funded program of studies through WorkBC or the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ISETS), including recipients participating in the Single Parent Employment Initiative (SPEI), student funding is exempt up to the sum of a student’s education costs, education related living costs, and daycare costs, except for any portion that is from Student Financial Assistance.

Disability Assistance

Student funding for clients receiving disability assistance is exempt, except for any portion from Student Financial Assistance. This exemption applies to student funding provided for both education and living costs.

Student funding from Student Financial Assistance is only exempt up to the sum of the student’s education and daycare costs for clients receiving disability assistance. Any portion provided for living costs, including income received for support or shelter, from this funding source is deducted.

Education Costs, Education Related Living Costs, and Daycare Costs

Education costs are intended to include any cost that is reasonably required for a student’s participation in a program of study including, but not limited to, the cost of:

• tuition,
• student fees,
• books,
• equipment, including the purchase of technology such as a laptop/tablet and monthly internet costs, and items needed to accommodate a disability,
• supplies,
• transportation for commuting to and from a course, as well as transportation costs to relocate for the course,
• $100/month other incidental training related costs for clients enrolled in government employment programs (e.g. WorkBC Employment Services (ES) or Opportunities Fund).

Daycare costs are exempt up to the total difference between a student’s actual amount paid for daycare, and the maximum amount of child care subsidy or WorkBC ES daycare funding provided to the student’s family unit for a period of study.

Education related living costs includes additional costs, such as the costs of food, shelter, clothing, utilities and other living expense, that are reasonably required for the student to participate in a program of studies. 

Student loans are disbursed at the beginning of each semester. Grants and bursaries may be distributed at the beginning of each semester or in one lump sum intended to cover the entire year (August 1 – July 31).  Staff should consider the client’s educational costs for the period the funding is intended to cover when determining how much of the funding to exempt. However, only educational costs for semesters that the client is registered in can be included.

[For more information on education costs, see Additional Resources – StudentAid BC Policy].

Post-secondary institutions are responsible for providing StudentAid BC with an assessment of a student’s expected costs for tuition, books, supplies, fees, and miscellaneous education-related expenses.  This assessment should show on the grant/loan documentation from StudentAid BC.  It is recommended that staff use the assessed amount on the grant/loan documentation instead of requesting individual receipts from clients.

Note: Students who exhaust their loans, grants, and bursaries during the course of a semester where a student loan has been provided remain ineligible for assistance, and may be directed to contact their school’s student financial aid office or student loan program.  [For more information, see Related Links – Education &Training.]

[For more information on education costs, see Additional Resources – StudentAid BC Policy.]

Effective: September 30, 2014

Effective:  September 13, 2021

Tenant compensation refers to any payments made by a landlord to a tenant or former tenant for the loss of use of a residential premise. Tenant compensation does not refer to payments not provided by a landlord (i.e., insurance payments). Payments may be lump sum or recurring and include the following:

Tenant compensation for moving costs are not to be considered resources when determining eligibility for the Moving, Transportation, and Living Costs Supplement [See Related Links - Moving, Transportation, & Moving Costs]

Effective: December 1, 2003

Effective: February 1, 2021

Effective: July 20, 2011

[See Related Links – Assets and Exemptions, Trusts]

Effective: December 1, 2003

Effective: July 30, 2010

Effective: July 16, 2018 

Effective: November 1, 2024

Note: Not all Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) income is treated the same.

Recipients of disability assistance must report all qualifying income [earned income or WCB temporary wage loss replacement payments] they receive every month by completing a Monthly Report Form (HR0081). [For more information on reporting requirements, see Related Links – Monthly Reporting Requirement.]

To be eligible for the annual exemption, new PWD clients must have been in receipt of income assistance or disability assistance for at least one of the preceding six calendar months. Returning PWD clients have no wait period. [For more information on treatment of qualifying income and earnings exemptions, see Policy – Earnings Exemption.]

See also Policy - Payments Related to an Injury

Effective: January 1, 2021

The Work Experience Opportunities Grant (WEOG) initiative provides grants to eligible organizations to support individuals to participate in work experience opportunities.

Organizations may provide payments to participants in the form of money, or goods or services received “in kind.”

Effective: October 9, 2008

Ministry staff are to follow these steps when identifying a client who may be income in excess:

1. Ensure all income is reported on the Case, Contact, Income tab in the system using the appropriate income types and include notes on the system.
2. Ensure there is supporting documentation for the income on the client’s case.
3. Contact the client to advise that the earned and/or unearned income is more than the amount of assistance payable to the family unit.  Ministry staff can send the applicable template letters as follows: Income in Excess Letter – Single Parent with Disabled Child (HR3225), Income in Excess Letter – PWD Earned and Unearned Income (HR3227) and for all other client categories, use Income in Excess – Earned and Unearned Income (HR3224). [see Forms and Letters]
4. Use office caseload management protocols to follow up with the client’s ongoing eligibility.

Effective: January 1, 2024

The $1,080 earnings exemption is extended to family units with a dependent or supported child when one recipient is unable to work more than 30 hours a week because they are caring for a child with a serious physical or mental condition.

The child's condition alone will not determine if a client is eligible for an earnings exemption.  The impact on the parent's employability is the key factor.

The recipient will continue to have employment obligations.

Medical Form – Child (HR3103) is to be completed by the child's Medical Practitioner or Nurse Practitioner.

Where a recipient/caregiver is not the legal guardian (e.g., CIHR), the Medical Report – Child (HR3103) and the Advisement that Guardian Must Sign for Release of  Child’s Medical Information (HR3110) are to be given to the recipient.

The recipient is responsible for ensuring the legal guardian signs the Medical Report – Child (HR3103).  If the required medical information is on file, the Medical Report - Child (HR3103) is not required.

Staff to update the ‘Child with Disability’ indicator and adjudicate the Medical Form and the Assessment for Earnings Exemption – Questionnaire (HR3107). [see Forms and Letters]

An Employment and Assistance Worker or Community Integration Specialist will assess eligibility for the increased earnings exemption, and update the earnings exemption field accordingly.

For parents who are denied or no longer meet the requirements for the monthly $1,080 exemption for employment earnings, ministry staff are to provide the Family with a Child with Disabilities Exemption – Denial Letter (HR3104). [see Forms and Letters]. The family unit may be eligible for the monthly $900  earnings exemption [see Policy – Employment Income – Income Assistance Recipients].

Maximum review date is 12 months.

Effective: December 1, 2003

When a recipient claims a financial award, a review of the family unit’s assets is required. 

An eligibility review must be conducted to determine the family unit’s current asset level, including the financial award.

Effective: October 9, 2008

A client’s PWD start date is found on the SD More Info screen on their EA case.  Staff must first ensure the PWD status reads Eligible, and then refer to the PWD Adjudication Date. Eligibility for disability assistance is effective the first day of the month following the PWD Approval Date. The exception is a person approved prior to their 18^th birthday, whose eligibility for disability assistance is effective from their 18^th birthday. [See Related Links – BCEA Application – Stage 2 and Reconsideration].

Effective: May 26, 2006

Service Canada sends the ministry an electronic file of Canada Pension Plan (CPP) payment records paid to ministry clients each month.  The current month’s CPP payment information, including any retroactive payments received by the client, is uploaded onto the system after cheque issue.

A small number of the CPP payment records received from Service Canada cannot upload to the system automatically.  These CPP payment records are recorded manually by designated ministry staff in the month they are first received and are managed systematically in subsequent months.

CPP income is entered directly on the system by the data match. CPP income reported upon intake is recorded on the application and entered systematically when the case is opened. Staff use CPP overrides to make adjustments to CPP income information.

The monthly CPP  Income Load - Case Review List, available to staff by Report to Web, indicates cases where the uploaded CPP income results in:

1. a decrease to the client’s income assistance payment by more than $30 (thirty dollars), or
2. an increase in their income assistance payment by more than $2 (two dollars), or
3. an impact to service providers and therefore the case requires review, or,
4. cheque production is turned off because the CPP income is greater than all allowances.

Note: Staff should review cases listed on the CPP Income Load - Case Review List and take appropriate action prior to assistance cheque cut off.

Uploaded CPP payments for active involvements on cases will be listed on the CPP Income tab.   

Service Canada may withhold a portion of the client’s CPP benefit for federal income tax, third party garnishing orders, or to repay other federal government debt.  The withheld amount is not exempt income.  Any amounts withheld are reported in the Withhold Amount field on the system for information only.  The CPP monthly payment amount uploaded by the data match is the gross CPP benefit that the client is eligible for before any withhold.

Service Canada recovers CPP overpayments by deducting a monthly amount from the client’s ongoing CPP benefits.  The amount the client is repaying Service Canada for the prior CPP overpayment is reported by the data match (Debt to CPP) but is not exempt. The ministry would have deducted the total CPP, including the overpayment, in the month the client received the overpayment.  CPP should not be overridden to reflect amounts that the client is repaying to Service Canada for prior CPP overpayments.

The exempt and non-exempt CPP amounts are listed on the system as Income Type 11-CPP and the non-exempt CPP are automatically deducted from the client's assistance.

Additional detail regarding a specified client’s CPP payment record may be viewed on the CPP Income tab..

If the CPP payment plus other income exceeds all assistance and supplements, cheque production is turned off by the upload

Note: All PWD cases must be reviewed for Medical Services Only (MSO) eligibility.

The CPP payment information is attached to the contact based on their SIN.  If the contact is stopped on a case their CPP payment information is automatically removed from the case.  If the contact moves from one case to another, their CPP payment information automatically moves with them.

Use the override function on the system if a client reports that they are receiving more CPP income than is reported by the data match or they demonstrate that they did not receive the amount reported by the data match.  Request CPP income verification from the client to support the override amount. 

Effective: May 26, 2006

The February upload of January CPP payment records will correctly capture the annual CPP cost of living allowance (COLA) each year. Overridden amounts are automatically increased by the COLA percentage as part of the February upload.  Staff must not adjust CPP amounts to reflect the COLA increase or the CPP amounts will be incremented twice.

Effective: February 6, 2006

Payment Declared

When a retroactive Canada Pension Plan (CPP) payment is declared to the local office, the retroactive CPP payment is to be treated in the same manner as other unearned income in the month received. No referral to a Quality Compliance Specialist (QCS)  is required.

Staff are to enter the full amount of the CPP payment (including the retroactive portion) on the Case – Contact – Income view with a frequency of One Time if the payment record is not displayed there already.  This will affect the next month’s eligibility for assistance.  This will show as Code 11 income on the income view and as an asset on the asset view. 

Staff are to consider the impact of the CPP income on the asset level for the family unit when reviewing eligibility.  Following months will be income- and asset-tested with the case possibly being changed to Medical Services Only (MSO) for these months.

Payment Undeclared

When the CPP data match indicates that a retroactive CPP payment has not been declared, staff are to treat the undeclared retroactive CPP payment in the same manner as any other undeclared unearned income.

Recovery of the over payment is negotiated and all necessary changes to the system are completed.

Staff review the impact of the retroactive CPP payment on the asset level applicable to the family unit.

In cases where the recipient has the Person with Disabilities designation, this may necessitate changing the case to MSO for the period of ineligibility.  The case should not be closed.  [see Related Links – Medical Services Only]

Previous Adjustments

Any overpayments calculated on the basis of the previous policy attributing retroactive CPP payments to prior months are to be reversed.

New calculations based on unearned income in the month received must be completed and notification of these reversals sent to Financial and Administrative Services Branch as soon as possible.

CPP Tax Exemption on Retroactive CPP assigned to Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

These procedures must be followed whenever retroactive CPP benefits are received by the ministry on behalf of a client (i.e., the client assigned their retroactive CPP benefits using the ISP1613 Consent to Deduct form).

1. Determine if the client is eligible for the CPP Tax Exemption by entering the gross monthly CPP amount on the Case, Contact, CPP Income tab in the system (the CPP Tax Exemption is automatically calculated).
2. Determine the number of retroactive months (this can be calculated using the completed ROP on case attachments form or alternatively by contacting Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
3. Multiply the CPP Tax Exemption amount by the number of retroactive months.
4. Issue an Imprest cheque to the client using the one-time allowance – CPP Adjustment Benefit and advise the client that these funds are for tax liability on CPP assigned to the ministry.

CPP Class Action Settlement

Any amounts over the asset level are to be treated as unearned income and deducted from the income assistance for the month. 

Clients who have deductions in their income assistance due to an excess cash asset had the opportunity to apply through Doak Shirreff, lawyers for the Class, for a reimbursement of up to $300.  All reimbursements were made before October 29, 2005.

Eligibility for the following months will be assessed based on current income and asset criteria.

NOTE:  The case is to remain open and persons maintain their eligibility for Medical Services Only (MSO).  When assets are deemed no longer in excess, persons are to resume receipt of assistance payments.

Effective: January 1, 2024

If there is a change in family circumstances during the calendar year, then the amount remaining in the family unit’s annual earnings exemption (AEE) limit will be adjusted (increased or decreased) based on the circumstances of that change (e.g.: the addition of spouse to a family unit or separation from a spouse or a period of ineligibility within the year).  In most situations, the system will make the adjustment to the family unit’s AEE limit automatically.

Depending on the situation and timing of the change in family circumstances, there may be cases where the provision of a one time payment is required. When a one time payment is provided, the AEE limit will need to be manually adjusted. [For more information on methods of payment, see Related Links – Individual Case Management.]

Below are several examples showing the manual calculation to the AEE limit that may need to be completed due to a change in circumstances and when an imprest cheque is required.
 

When a family unit is no longer receiving disability assistance (DA) and is a Medical Services Only (MSO) case due to exhausting their AEE in the prior year and returns to assistance in the next year, their AEE limit is prorated if they reapply and are found eligible for assistance. 

When an individual or family on an MSO case reapplies part way through an exemption year, their AEE limit upon return is prorated because they will only be receiving DA for a portion of the exemption year. 

Sample case: Sasha, a single PWD, reached their annual exemption limit in August and their case was updated to MSO in November. They completed a re-application for assistance on April 15 of the following year. Their earnings were $1,100 in April. Sasha’s AEE limit for the exemption year is prorated to $14,850 (base amount of $1,350 x 11 months). Their exemption limit is reduced by $1,100 for their April earnings (the month of her re-application).

Calculation: $14,850 - $1,100 (income) = $13,750 remaining AEE.

When a family unit is no longer receiving disability assistance and later begins to receive disability assistance within the calendar year and family composition has not changed: 

When an individual or family is no longer receiving disability assistance (DA) and begins receiving DA later in the calendar year, their AEE limit upon return is prorated because they were only receiving DA for a portion of the exemption year.  Earned income while they were previously eligible is deducted from the prorated amount.

Sample case: John, a single PWD, started with an AEE of $16,200 (base amount of $1,350 times 12 months).  John was receiving DA for 3 months and earned $1,000 each month. John did not receive  DA for 3 months for a job outside of BC.  John then returned to DA with 6 months remaining in the  year.  John’s prorated AEE limit upon return to DA is $9,150.

 Calculation: [$1,350 x 9 months (3 months + 6 months) = $12,150];   $12,150 - $3,000 (income) = $9,150.

When a client is no longer receiving disability assistance and later begins receiving disability assistance as part of a new family unit: 

When a PWD client is no longer receiving DA and later begins receiving  DA as part of a new family unit, all within the same exemption year, the balance of the new family unit’s AEE limit will be a combined total of the residual AEE balance of both individuals.  The portion attributed to the returning PWD client is prorated because they were only receiving DA for a portion of the exemption year.  Earned income while they were previously eligible for DA is deducted from the prorated amount.  This prorated amount is then added to the AEE limit of the other client. 

Sample case: Jill, a single PWD, started with an AEE of $16,200 (base amount of $1,350 times 12 months).  Jill was receiving DA for 3 months and earned $1,000 each month. Jill left DA for 3 months for a job outside of BC.  Jill then returned to DA with a new spouse, Rob, who is not a PWD client.  There is 6 months remaining in the exemption year. The new family unit’s combined AEE limit upon return is $10,770.

Calculations: Jill [$1,350 x 9 months (3 months + 6 months) = $12,150; $12,150 - $3,000 (income) = $9,150] + Rob [$270 x 6 months = $1,620] = $10,770.

When a family unit is no longer receiving disability assistance, separates and the PWD client later begins receiving disability assistance as a single person: 

When family unit is no longer receiving DA, separates after leaving DA and the PWD client later begins receiving DA as a single person, all within the same exemption year, their AEE limit is prorated for the remainder of the year starting from the month of reapplication. Earned income declared in the exemption year prior to the separation is not deducted from the prorated amount. Individuals who do not have the PWD designation who return to assistance will change over to the applicable monthly earnings exemption.

Sample case:  A family unit with 2 PWD clients, Rick and Jane, start with an AEE limit of $32,400 (base amount of $2,700 times 12 months).  They declared earnings of $2,000 per month. In May, they leave DA.  While Rick and Jane are not receiving DA, they separate.  Jane returns to disability assistance in June as a single person.  As Jane separated from Jane’s spouse, Jane’s AEE limit is prorated for the 9 months left in the exemption year.  Income earned while Jane was part of Jane’s previous family unit is not deducted from Jane’s new AEE limit. Jane’s revised AEE limit is $11,430.

Calculation: $1,270 x 9 months = $11,430.

Adding a spouse:

Single clients who form a couple in the middle of the exemption year will combine each of their residual AEE room (carry over amount) for the remainder of the year. 

Sample Case: 2 single PWD clients, Dave and Sam, become a couple during the exemption year. Dave has been working and has declared $6,400 earnings year to date.  Sam has not been working. The new family unit’s combined AEE limit is $9,800 + $16,200 = $26,000

Calculation: Dave [$16,200 - $6,400 (income) = $9,800] + Sam [$16,200] = $26,000

Sample Case: 2 PWD clients, Lara and Jacob, become a couple in September. Previously, Lara was in another PWD family unit and Lara split from that spouse in May.  As a result Lara’s AEE limit was recalculated in June to be $1,350 x 9 months = $12,150.  Since Lara’s separation, Lara has declared earnings of $4,000 giving Lara an AEE limit of $8,150.  Jacob’s AEE limit started at $16,200 (base amount of $1,350 times 12 months). Jacob declared $4,000 earnings year to date giving Jacob an AEE limit of $12,000.  The combined AEE limit for this new family unit is $9,800 + $16,200 = $26,000 

Calculation: Lara [$1,350 x 9 months = $12,150; $12,150 - $4,000 (income) = $8,150]    +    Jacob [$16,200 - $4,000 (income) = $12,200] = $20,350.

Sample case:  In August, Oscar, a PWD client, becomes a couple with Susan, a non-PWD client who has a monthly earning exemption. Oscar has been working and has declared $6,400 earnings year to date.  Susan has also been working and using Susan's monthly exemption.   Susan's previously exempted income calculated under the monthly exemption does not carry over into the new family unit’s AEE limit calculation. The new family unit’s combined AEE limit is $6,750 + 11,340 - $6,400 = $11,690 

Calculation: Oscar (single): [$1,350 x 5 months = $6,750] + Oscar and Susan (couple) [$1,620 x 7 months  = $11,340] – Oscar’s income [$6,400] = $11,690.

Removing a spouse:

When couples separate in the middle of the exemption year, the individuals move onto their own cases and no longer share an AEE limit. Each PWD client will have their AEE limit pro-rated for the remainder of the year, starting the month after the couple separates. Earned income declared in the exemption year prior to the separation is not deducted from the pro-rated amount. Individuals who do not have the PWD designation and remain on income assistance will change over to the applicable monthly earnings exemption.

Sample case:  A 2 PWD family unit separates in September.  Effective October, each PWD client will have an AEE limit of $6,750 for the remainder of the exemption year. 

Calculation: $1,350 x 5 months = $6,750     No previous earned income is deducted. 

A non-PWD spouse in a 1 PWD family unit receives the PWD designation during the exemption year:

If a non-PWD spouse applies for and receives the PWD designation during the exemption year, the family unit’s AEE room will increase by $1,080 x the # of months remaining in the exemption year.

Sample case:  This family unit started the exemption year with a $19,440 ($1,620 base amount times 12 months) AEE limit. They have declared a total of $3,000 in earned income year to date.  On June 10, the non-PWD spouse receives approval for the PWD designation. As a result, effective July 1 the family unit’s remaining AEE limit will increase by $8,640 ($32,400 AEE for 2 PWD family unit - $19,440 AEE for 1 PWD, 1 non-PWD family unit (previous designation) = $12,960/12 months= $1,080  x 8 months remaining in exemption year).

Calculation: [$19,440 - $3,000 (income) = $16,440];   $16,440 + $8,640 = $25,080 remaining AEE.

 [For details on the calculations used to establish the AEE limit in the initial qualifying month and subsequent months, see Additional Resources – Policy Summary of AEE Regulation]

Note:  PWD designated clients in receipt of Medical Services Only coverage because of employment income can continue to submit their Monthly Report (HR0081) monthly to re-establish eligibility for disability assistance when they become financially eligible.  [For more information, see Related Links - BCEA Application - Stage 1; Monthly Reporting Requirements; Eligibility Review].

Effective: October 1, 2012

For more information on three generation families who receive Ministry of Children and Family Development payments, see Related Links – Family Composition – Policy and Procedures – Three-Generation Families.

Effective: February 6, 2006

Québec Pension Plan (QPP) payment information is not included in the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) data match.  Enter QPP income as an income record in the income tab. 

Effective: December 5, 2023

When a client informs the ministry they are receiving a rental subsidy or rental supplement, find out what type of subsidy/supplement they are receiving and follow these appropriate steps:

BC Housing Rental Assistance Program (RAP)

BC Housing RAP program provides eligible low-income working families with monthly assistance to help with their monthly rent payments and who are NOT in receipt of monthly income assistance, hardship assistance or disability assistance.

Use the RAP/SAFER Calculator to determine what the client would receive from BC Housing compared to what they would receive, or are receiving, from the ministry.

1. Advise the client they must make a decision as to whether they want to receive support from BC Housing or ministry assistance. In some cases, the BC Housing assistance is higher than the amount of ministry assistance.
2. If the applicant clearly does not meet RAP eligibility or they do not wish to apply for RAP, you may proceed with the ministry assistance application process.
3. If the client wants to proceed with RAP, the application for ministry assistance is denied and they have the right to request a reconsideration.

Note: Ensure the client is aware that BC Housing will be notified that the client is in receipt of assistance. This provides the client with all necessary information so  the client can make an informed decision whether they would like to continue applying for, or receiving, assistance.

BC Housing Shelter Aid For Elderly Renters (SAFER)

BC Housing SAFER program helps make rents affordable for BC seniors with low to moderate incomes. SAFER provides monthly cash payments to subsidize rents for eligible BC residents who are age 60 or over and who are NOT in receipt of monthly income assistance, hardship assistance or disability assistance.

Use the RAP/SAFER Calculator to determine what the client would receive from BC Housing compared to what they would receive, or are receiving, from the ministry. 

1. Advise the client they must make a decision as to whether they want to receive support from BC Housing or ministry assistance. In some cases, the BC Housing assistance is higher than the amount of ministry assistance.
2. If the applicant clearly does not meet SAFER eligibility or they do not wish to apply for SAFER, you may proceed with the ministry assistance application process.
3. If the client wants to proceed with SAFER, the application for ministry assistance is denied and they have the right to request a reconsideration.

Note: Ensure the client is aware that BC Housing will be notified that the client is in receipt of assistance. This provides the client with all necessary information so the client can make an informed decision whether they would like to continue applying for, or receiving, assistance.

BC Housing Supported Rent Supplement Program (SRSP)/Canada-British Columbia Housing Benefit (CBCHB)

The Supported Rent Supplement Program (SRSP) aims to reduce and prevent homelessness by providing a coordinated network of services to the eligible Federally funded Canada-British Columbia Housing Benefit (CBCHB) recipients. CBCHB provides rent assistance to make renting in the private market more affordable.

1. The support services aim to help individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness to access multiple systems to meet their basic needs.
2. BC Housing SRSP/CBCHB is exempt and does not impact a family unit’s shelter costs.
3. No verification is required as this is a standard BC Housing practice.

BC Housing Subsidized Housing

BC Housing Subsidized Housing is long-term housing for people who permanently reside in British Columbia. Rental fees are calculated on a rent geared to income basis and are subject to minimum rent based on the number of people in the family unit.

1. BC Housing Subsidized Housing shelter cost amounts would be client’s actual shelter costs and would part of the regular shelter process.
2. Request that the client provide verification from the agency providing the subsidy.
3. Advise the client that the rental subsidy and any changes to the subsidy must be reported to the ministry.
4. Adjust shelter costs to reflect what the client pays for shelter.

BC Housing Homeless Prevention Program (HPP)/Homeless Outreach Program (HOP)

The Homeless Prevention Program is an initiative aimed at providing individuals in identified at-risk groups facing homelessness with portable rent supplements and support services to help them access rental housing in the private (non-subsidized) housing market.

The rent supplements and support services help recipients access rental housing in the private (non-subsidized) housing market and community-based services.

The Homeless Prevention Program operates, in many instances, as an enhancement to the existing Homeless Outreach Program (HOP) / Indigenous Homeless Outreach Programs and targets individuals at transition points that put them at greater risk of homelessness and may provide rent supplements.

Non-BC Housing Rent Subsidies

1. Request that the client provide verification from the agency providing the subsidy.
2. Advise the client that the rental subsidy and any changes to the subsidy must be reported to the ministry.
3. Adjust shelter costs to reflect what the client pays after the rental subsidy is applied (the subsidy is not deducted as income).

Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) Rent Supplement Program

The MCFD Rent Supplement Program is intended to enhance stable housing and prevent the experience of homelessness for young adults from government care. The program is intended to reach the most vulnerable young adults with care experience to live independently in the private rental market.

MCFD Rent Supplement is exempt and does not impact a family unit’s shelter costs.

Effective: December 1, 2015

Follow these steps when determining the amount to exempt:

• Confirm that the client meets the exemption criteria in policy [see Policy – Student Funding].
• Request client to provide a copy of the Notification of Assessment from StudentAid BC.
  Note:  Other types of documentation, such as letters from the school’s Financial Aid Office that provide the assessment information, would also be acceptable.
• Direct client to StudentAid BC or the Financial Aid Office if client does not have any documentation showing the assessment of expected cost.
  Note:  It is recommended that staff use the assessment rather than requesting individual receipts from the client.
• Review the expense items in the assessment notification.  If daycare costs and/or transportation costs are not included in the assessment and are an additional cost that should be included, they may be added to the assessed cost.
• The following expenses are considered when determining educational costs:
  • Tuition
  • Student fees
  • Books
  • Equipment, including the purchase of technology such as a laptop/tablet and monthly internet costs, and items needed to accommodate a disability
  • Supplies
  • Transportation for commuting to and from a course, as well as transportation costs to relocate for the course
  • $100/month other incidental training related costs.

[For more information on education costs, see Additional Resources – StudentAid BC Policy].

• Total amount to be exempted should be the total assessed costs.  Any remaining balance of funding received should be considered unearned income.
  Note: If the client is enrolled in the Single Parent Employment Initiative (SPEI), Student Financial Assistance is not exempted.

Effective: May 1, 2005

• Clients designated as a Person with Disabilities (PWD) must report any Therapeutic Volunteer Supplement (TVS) or other mental health volunteer payments received on the Monthly Report (HR0081) under “Other,” in the initial month they receive it and any time there are changes (i.e. an increase or decrease) in the amount received.  Clients are to report the name or purpose of the stipend and the amount received (e.g., TVS $50). 
• Other clients must report any TVS or other mental health volunteer payments each month they receive it on their Monthly Report (HR0081), under “Other.”  Clients are to report the name or purpose of the stipend and the amount received (e.g., TVS $50).
• Ministry workers may verify with a health authority that a BCEA recipient is receiving the TVS or other mental health payments.  They may verify that payments are received in the amount reported, and for the purposes indicated, by the client, and also in accordance with limits set by health authorities.  Ministry staff may further ask clients to confirm the payments they have received by providing:
  • cheque stubs for volunteer payments received from health authorities or designated agencies, or
  • a letter of confirmation from a health authority or designated agency indicating the amount, purpose and duration of any payments made.
• If a client is unable to provide either a cheque stub or a letter of confirmation, ministry staff workers may contact the health authority’s case manager for a client to verify what payments (amount and purpose) have been made to that person.  Ministry staff shall enter the payment amounts made to the client by the health authority or designated agency using the appropriate income type.
• Clients should be advised to consult with health authorities to ensure that any lump sum payments they receive are spread over a period of time such that they do not exceed their allowable asset limits.    

Effective: July 20, 2011

1. When a client reports a RDSP disbursement, supporting documentation must be provided.
2. Once supporting documentation is verified, record the amount on the income tab. 
3. Make notes on the case.

[For related information, see Related Links – Assets and Exemptions]