Province changing some social services benefits
Rules for home repairs, overpayments, assessment of dietary needs altered
The Saskatchewan Party government is making changes to certain benefits people on social services receive.
A home repair benefit for people on income assistance is being eliminated.
It was being used about 430 times each year by the roughly 1,100 people on social services who own their home; or, about 40 per cent of people who are on social services and own their home access the program in any given year.
Doing so cost the province $244,000 last year and an average of about $260,000 each year.
The province is expecting to save $260,000 by eliminating the benefit.
General maintenance will no longer be covered, but the government is increasing the amount of money available for emergency repairs, from a maximum of $6,000 to $12,000.
Another change will see the province increase the amount of money it takes back from social services clients when overpayments are made.
Previously, if an overpayment was made, the province would recoup that money by giving less in subsequent months.
Now the government will try to recoup that faster than it has in the past. About 10,300 people will be affected by the change, which essentially allows the province to take back larger portions of money from portions of payments made to those receiving income assistance.
Social Services Minister Tina Beaudry-Mellor called that move “an effort to be reasonable” because it attempts to recover money belonging to the public purse while trying to avoid undue hardship on people who are already in difficult financial positions.
NDP social services critic Nicole Rancourt said the province has not been able to manage its own finances and is now looking for low-income earners to make up for Sask. Party mistakes.
“This is really short-sighted from the minister and I think we’re going to be hearing more and more about people struggling,” Rancourt said.
Those on social services receiving money for special dietary needs will also see a change.
About 1,360 people who were on a 3,000-plus calorie diet will now have their benefit dictated by a health professional.
Rather than a strictly calorie-based diet, those people can visit a dietitian and have their benefit more accurately reflect their specific needs, according to the province.
It remains to be seen how much — if any — money will be saved as a result. Beaudry-Mellor said there may not be any savings.
Rancourt questions whether Beaudry-Mellor looked at the impacts of these decisions and suggested the government is making it more difficult for people to receive the dietary benefit, especially those in the north with little access to dietitians.
Oct. 1 is the date scheduled for the benefit changes to kick in.
Changes were expected following the provincial budget, when the province announced it would be reviewing certain benefits in social services.
Two other areas — asset exemptions and a school supply benefit — were reviewed by the province, but will remain as is for now.
These are the latest changes to social services and more are expected as the ministry continues to look at a total redesign of the benefits offered.
This is really short-sighted ... and I think we’re going to be hearing more and more about people struggling.
NDP CRITIC NICOLE RANCOURT