Social Assistance Summaries
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The Social Assistance Summaries series tracks the number of recipients of social assistance (welfare payments) in each province and territory.
For the total incomes available to those relying on social assistance, visit the Welfare in Canada report.
Last updated: May 2020
Social assistance is the income program of last resort. It is intended for those who have exhausted all other means of financial support. Every province and territory has its own social assistance program(s) and no two are the same.
In British Columbia, basic support and shelter benefits are provided through the British Columbia Employment and Assistance (BCEA) program.
BCEA clients are divided into two main streams of assistance:
- Income Assistance (also called Temporary Assistance)
- Disability Assistance
Those who are not eligible for income or disability assistance may be able to access support for essential costs through BCEA Hardship Assistance, such as those awaiting other income or benefits like Employment Insurance or those completing the work search required to receive regular assistance. Hardship assistance is provided on a temporary basis for one month at a time.
Income Assistance
Income Assistance consists of a support allowance and a shelter allowance. The support allowance is intended to cover the cost of food, clothing, and personal and household items of the family. The shelter allowance is intended to pay for actual shelter costs (up to a maximum amount). The maximum amount of support allowance and shelter allowance available varies by family size.
In order to be eligible for Income Assistance, applicants must meet income requirements and fit the criteria of one of four groups:
- Expected to Work ‑ for employable individuals
- Expected to Work Medical Condition – for employable individuals with short-term medical issues
- Temporarily Excused – for single parents with a child under 3 and seniors
- Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers – for individuals with a medical condition that precludes or impedes employment
Disability Assistance
The Disability Assistance stream of BCEA recognizes that people with disabilities may require additional supports in order to meet the challenges of daily living through a higher assistance rate, supplementary assistance, and specialized employment supports.
The BC Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act defines a person with disabilities as an individual who is at least 18 years of age, with a severe physical or mental impairment that is expected to continue for at least two years, and who:
- is significantly restricted in his or her ability to perform daily living activities
- requires assistance with daily living activities
This includes individuals with episodic illnesses that restrict daily living activities continuously or periodically for extended periods.
Once individuals qualify for Disability Assistance, they keep their Persons with Disabilities designation after they leave assistance (for employment or other income support programs) and may maintain their medical assistance.
BCEA Supplements
Along with assistance for everyday living and shelter costs, recipients may also qualify for General Supplements and Health Supplements through BCEA. These are intended to offset certain additional costs that some families face (such as the extra costs associated with a child’s schooling or the transportation costs associated with essential medical treatment).
How many people claim social assistance?
On average, there were 148,000 cases (families and single adults) in British Columbia’s social assistance program during 2018/19. Around 30 per cent (42,900) received Income Assistance (also known as Temporary Assistance) and 70 per cent (105,200) received Disability Assistance. The total number of social assistance cases increased by 3,100 in 2018/19; all of this increase was due to a rise in the number receiving Disability Assistance.
Income Assistance
The number of Income Assistance cases and beneficiaries fell substantially in the late 1990s and early 2000s and then rose in the late-2000s following the recession. In 2018/19, the average number of Income Assistance cases and beneficiaries was 42,900 and 67,800, respectively. These numbers are lower than the post-recession peak of 2010/11 but remain higher than the pre-recession low in 2006/07.
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Disability Assistance
In 2018/19, there was an average of 105,200 cases in British Columbia’s Disability Assistance program, and 126,600 beneficiaries (individual claimants, their partners, and dependent children). Both numbers have been steadily rising over the last two decades.
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Data notes
- The data reflects the average number of cases and beneficiaries over the fiscal year (April 1 to March 31).
- The numbers do not include First Nations living on reserves.
- Click here for more information about how the data is gathered
- Download the all-Canada report as a PDF
- Download the data for British Columbia
- Download the data for all of Canada
- Further breakdowns on social assistance data in British Columbia can be found on the province’s website