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Verification and Eligibility


Overview

Effective: October 01, 2012

The Verification and Eligibility Category provides details about the legislative and regulatory requirements that govern the assessment of initial and ongoing eligibility for Employment and Assistance.  Eligibility requirements under the Employment and Assistance Act may differ from those under the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act.  Many eligibility requirements have specific exceptions, which must be considered.  Based on the legislative framework that applies in each individual case, ministry staff assess eligibility based on the following general criteria:

  1. At least one applicant must have had two consecutive years of financial independence prior to applying for assistance.
  2. The identity of each family member must be established.
  3. Applicants must meet Canadian citizenship requirements.
  4. Applicants must be residents of British Columbia.
  5. Applicants must not have any outstanding warrants.
  6. The number of persons and the dependent relationships in each family unit must be established.
  7. Applicants must not be full-time students.
  8. Applicants who may be eligible for other income or other means of support, are required to pursue and accept the other income or means of support.
  9. Applicants must pursue, accept, and use all other income to support themselves before receiving assistance.
  10. Applicants must demonstrate that their assets are within the applicable assets levels.

The Verification and Eligibility category provides information about how initial eligibility is verified, how continuing eligibility is determined through Eligibility Reviews, and how compliance with regulatory requirements is monitored and enforced through Sanctions.

This category also provides information about the provision of assistance to underage applicants and to relatives caring for children through the Child in the Home of a Relative Program.

This category also provides information about how assistance is calculated, the amount of assistance provided, how to update cheque message notifications and cheque issue dates.

This category also provides information about the recovery of various types of assistance provided to, or on behalf of clients.

Detailed information is available by clicking on the appropriate topic within the Verification and Eligibility Category (left-hand menu).