Social Assistance Rates Update

Transcription

1 Scial Assistance Rates Update and infrmatin n the Ontari Child Benefit The 2013 Ontari budget included a number f changes t scial assistance. INCOME SECURITY ADVOCACY CENTRE ISAC has prepared several fact sheets n these changes t give infrmatin t peple receiving supprt frm Ontari Wrks (OW) and the Ontari Disability Supprt Prgram (ODSP), and the peple wh wrk with and supprt them. This fact sheet explains the changes t scial assistance rates and the relatinship f rates t this summer s increase in the Ontari Child Benefit (). Fr ur ther fact sheets, please visit The 2013 Budget cmmitment and past practice The 2013 Budget makes a cmmitment t increase scial assistance rates by ne percent fr adult Ontari Wrks recipients and peple with disabilities receiving ODSP benefits and t prvide single Ontari Wrks adults withut children an additinal tp-up f $14 per mnth. Shrtly after taking ffice, the gvernment annunced that a 3% increase wuld be made t OW and ODSP rates in Subsequent increases have been lwer 2% in 2006 thrugh 2009, and 1% frm 2010 thrugh Typically, these increases went t everyne and were applied t bth the basic needs and maximum shelter amunts f peple s cheques. This year, hwever, things have changed. The wrding f the budget cmmitment actually means that different increases are ging t different peple, depending n whether they are n OW r ODSP, and whether r nt they have a spuse r children. Clearly, as we have said in the past and cntinue t say, the amunt f the increase is nt nearly enugh t prperly address the very lw incmes f peple receiving OW and ODSP. A summary f the changes in rates fr select family types and the interactin with the Ontari Child Benefit is shwn in the tables n pages 5 and Ontari Wrks All increases will start n cheques that peple receiving OW will get n Octber 1 (i.e., the cheque fr Octber). Single adults n OW will receive a ttal 3% increase. This includes the extra $14 tp-up amunt, fr a ttal f $20 extra per mnth. The entire $20 will g n the basic needs prtin f cheques, which is a psitive change. It means that all singles receiving OW will get the $20 regardless f the real cst f their husing. In ther wrds, everyne will receive the additinal mney, even if their husing csts are less than the maximum shelter amunt. 9 September 2013 Incme Security Advcacy Centre / isac@la.n.ca 425 Adelaide St. W., 5 th Flr, Trnt, Ont. M5V 3C1

2 Single parents n OW will get a 1% increase n what the gvernment calls the adult prtin f their basic needs benefit, but nt n the single parent supplement. They will als get a 1% increase t the maximum shelter allwance. This means that the ttal increase single parents n OW will get is very slightly less than 1%. The amunt f mney that this represents is very small, and will nt be reflected n peple s cheques. s n OW bth with children and withut will get a 1% increase. In ther wrds, the 1% applies t bth the basic needs and maximum shelter prtins f their cheques. 2. Ontari Disability Supprt Prgram (ODSP) All increases will start n cheques that peple receiving ODSP will get n September 30 (i.e., the cheque fr Octber). As is the case fr single peple n OW, increases fr all peple receiving ODSP will be delivered n the basic needs prtin f their cheques. Again, this is psitive in that it means that everyne will receive the additinal mney, even if their husing csts are less than the maximum shelter amunt. Single adults n ODSP will get a 1% increase. This amunts t an additinal $11 per mnth. s n ODSP where bth have a disability bth with children and withut will get slightly mre than a 1% increase, as they will get an additinal $22 per mnth. Hwever, this $22 represents an increase n the amunts intended t supprt the adults with disabilities. Everyne else n ODSP will get an increase that is less than 1%. This includes: Single parents; s withut children where the spuse des nt have a disability; and, s with children where the spuse des nt have a disability. This year, these families will get n increase in the amunts intended t supprt nn-disabled spuses r children. Instead, these families will get the same $11 per mnth increase as singles n ODSP. In ther wrds, they will nly get an increase f 1% fr the persn in the family wh has a disability. 9 September 2013 Incme Security Advcacy Centre / isac@la.n.ca 425 Adelaide St. W., 5 th Flr, Trnt, Ont. M5V 3C1

3 3. needs rate restructuring and the increase (summer 2013) The Ontari Child Benefit () is a mnthly benefit fr lw-incme families in Ontari wh have children, bth thse wh wrk at paid jbs and thse wh are n scial assistance. The prvincial gvernment intrduced the as a lump-sum payment f $250 per child in July 2007, and as a mnthly payment f $50 per child in July The mnthly payments were t increase t $92 by When the became a mnthly payment in 2008, the gvernment started t restructure the basic needs part f scial assistance rates in rder t mve mney fr children ut f OW and ODSP and int the. The is intended t becme the primary incme supprt benefit fr the children f all lw-incme Ontarians. ISAC and ther advcates at the time pressed the gvernment t ensure that peple n OW and ODSP wuld receive the full benefit f the. The same advcacy call was made when the was increased in 2009 tw years ahead f schedule as part f the gvernment s pverty reductin strategy. The nly cntinuing cmmitment frm gvernment abut the net benefit t peple n scial assistance was that n ne n OW r ODSP wuld be wrse ff as a result f the and rate restructuring. The 2013 budget annunced that the maximum wuld increase frm $1,100 t $1,210 per child per year. This new maximum amunt is mre than the gvernment first cmmitted t in 2008 and represents a significant financial cmmitment t lw-incme Ontari families with children. The increase went thrugh starting in July 2013, when the went up by $9 per child per mnth. As in previus years, basic needs rates were again restructured this year fr sme peple n OW and ODSP wh have children. This year rates were reduced by the entire $9 increase in the fr the fllwing family types: Single parents n OW. The single parent supplement prtin f the basic needs rate was reduced by $9 per mnth. Single parents with ne child therefre received n net mnthly benefit as a result f the increase in the. Single parents with tw children received a net benefit f $9 per mnth. All parents n ODSP wh have lder children. The age-related supplement prtin (fr children age 13-17) f the basic needs rate was reduced by $9 per mnth per child. Parents n ODSP with lder children receive n net mnthly benefit frm the increase. It is imprtant t nte that the cmbinatin f this rate restructuring and the failure t apply the 1% rate increase t the family members f peple with disabilities means that the lder children f parents n ODSP (where ne parent has a disability) received n net benefit frm either f this year s increase r rate increases. 9 September 2013 Incme Security Advcacy Centre / isac@la.n.ca 425 Adelaide St. W., 5 th Flr, Trnt, Ont. M5V 3C1

4 4. Other rate increases Ontari Wrks the bard and ldge rate fr single recipients will increase by $20 / mnth in additin, the fllwing OW rates and benefits will increase by 1%: the bard and ldge rates fr families the rates fr dependants with dependants and financially independent adults living with parents Nrthern Allwance Advanced Age Allwance Persnal Allwance and budgetary requirements fr residents f interval and transitin hmes First Natins emergency hstel services per diem Special Barder Allwance the guide dg benefit temprary care assistance peple n OW wh receive these benefits and allwances will see these increases as f Octber 1, 2013 Ontari Disability Supprt Prgram the bard and ldge rate fr persns with a disability and members f a prescribed class will g up by $8/mnth in additin, the fllwing ODSP rates and benefits will increase by 1%: Nrthern allwance Persnal Allwance and budgetary requirements fr residents f interval and transitin hmes budgetary requirements fr residents f lng-term care hmes, intensive supprt residences, supprted grup living residences Special Barder Allwance the guide dg benefit peple n ODSP wh receive these benefits and allwances will see these increases as f September 1, 2013 Assistance fr Children with Severe Disabilities the maximum Assistance fr Children with Severe Disabilities will increase frm $455 t $460 a mnth. 9 September 2013 Incme Security Advcacy Centre / isac@la.n.ca 425 Adelaide St. W., 5 th Flr, Trnt, Ont. M5V 3C1

5 Changes t Mnthly and imum Rates and Ontari Child Benefit amunts fr select family types n Ontari Wrks (Dec 2012 Oct 2013) OW As f Dec 1, 2012 As f cheque fr Aug 1, 2013 increased by $9 / basic needs reduced by $9 fr single parents As f Octber 1, 2013 Rate changes explained abve Ttal Ttal Ttal Single $230 $376 0 $606 $230 $376 $0 $606 $250 $376 $0 $626 2 children (under/ver) $350 $590 $92 $1,032 $341 $590 $101 $1,032 $344 $596 $101 $1,041 $350 $590 $92 $1,032 $341 $590 $101 $1,032 $344 $596 $101 $1,041 $350 $641 $184 $1,175 $341 $641 $202 $1,184 $344 $648 $202 $1,194 $350 $641 $184 $1,175 $341 $641 $202 $1,184 $344 $648 $202 $1,194 $350 $641 $184 $1,175 $341 $641 $202 $1,184 $344 $648 $202 $1,194 $453 $590 $0 $1,043 $453 $590 $0 $1,043 $458 $596 $0 $1,054 1 child (13-17) 2 children (under/ver) $453 $641 $92 $1,186 $453 $641 $101 $1,195 $458 $648 $101 $1,207 $453 $641 $92 $1,186 $453 $641 $101 $1,195 $458 $648 $101 $1,207 $453 $695 $184 $1,332 $453 $695 $202 $1,350 $458 $702 $202 $1,362 $453 $695 $184 $1,332 $453 $695 $202 $1,350 $458 $702 $202 $1,362 $453 $695 $184 $1,332 $453 $695 $202 $1,350 $458 $702 $202 $1,362 9 September 2013 Incme Security Advcacy Centre / isac@la.n.ca 425 Adelaide St. W., 5 th Flr, Trnt, Ont. M5V 3C1

6 Changes t Mnthly and imum Rates and Ontari Child Benefit amunts fr select family types n ODSP (Nv 2012 Sept 2013) ODSP As f cheque fr Nv 30, 2012 As f cheque fr July 31, 2013 increased by $9 / basic needs reduced by $9 fr children yrs As f cheque fr Sept 30, 2013 Rate changes explained abve Ttal Ttal Ttal Single $596 $479 $0 $1,075 $596 $479 $0 $1,075 $607 $479 $0 $1,086 2 children (under/ver) 2 children bth children (under/ver) bth have a disability bth have a disability bth have a disability bth have a disability bth have a disability 2 children (under/ver) bth have a disability $739 $753 $92 $1,584 $739 $753 $101 $1,593 $750 $753 $101 $1,604 $757 $753 $92 $1,602 $748 $753 $101 $1,602 $759 $753 $101 $1,613 $739 $816 $184 $1,739 $739 $816 $202 $1,757 $750 $816 $202 $1,768 $757 $816 $184 $1,757 $748 $816 $202 $1,766 $759 $816 $202 $1,777 $775 $816 $184 $1,775 $757 $816 $202 $1,775 $768 $816 $202 $1,786 $882 $753 $0 $1,635 $882 $753 $0 $1,635 $893 $753 $0 $1,646 $882 $816 $92 $1,790 $882 $816 $101 $1,799 $893 $816 $101 $1,810 $900 $816 $92 $1,808 $891 $816 $101 $1,808 $902 $816 $101 $1,819 $882 $886 $184 $1,952 $882 $886 $202 $1,970 $893 $886 $202 $1,981 $900 $886 $184 $1,970 $891 $886 $202 $1,979 $902 $886 $202 $1,990 $918 $886 $184 $1,988 $900 $886 $202 $1,988 $911 $886 $202 $1,999 $1,189 $753 $0 $1,942 $1,189 $753 $0 $1,942 $1,211 $753 $0 $1,964 $1,189 $816 $92 $2,097 $1,189 $816 $101 $2,106 $1,211 $816 $101 $2,128 $1,207 $816 $92 $2,115 $1,198 $816 $101 $2,115 $1,220 $816 $101 $2,137 $1,189 $886 $184 $2,259 $1,189 $886 $202 $2,277 $1,211 $886 $202 $2,299 $1,207 $886 $184 $2,277 $1,198 $886 $202 $2,286 $1,220 $886 $202 $2,808 $1,225 $886 $184 $2,295 $1,207 $886 $202 $2,295 $1,229 $886 $202 $2,317 9 September 2013 Incme Security Advcacy Centre / isac@la.n.ca 425 Adelaide St. W., 5 th Flr, Trnt, Ont. M5V 3C1