When you’re on welfare

Under the law, to continue receiving benefits, those on income assistance must submit a monthly report to the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. This is the government office that oversees BC’s welfare program. In this guidance, we refer to it as the ministry.

Your monthly report is a legal document that tells the ministry you’re still in need. The ministry uses the information in your report to confirm that you still qualify for welfare. It’s also used to calculate the amount of your next assistance cheque.

Your monthly report tells the ministry important information about your situation, including:

• whether your family unit still requires financial assistance

• changes in your family unit’s assets

• any income received by your family unit, and the source of that income

• your family unit’s work and education circumstances

• changes to your living situation

• any outstanding arrest warrants

Your family unit includes you and your dependents. A spouse (married or unmarried) who lives with you is a dependent. So is a minor child who lives with you more than half the time and relies on you for necessities, like food and shelter.

You will receive a blank monthly report with your welfare payment. It will be attached as a stub to your cheque or mailed to you with a record of direct deposit. Or the ministry will send it to your My Self Serve account.

You must submit your report by the fifth day of the month after you get your payment (unless you’re on hardship assistance). For example, say you receive a welfare payment at the end of April. You’d need to submit your April report by May 5. If the fifth day of the month is on a weekend, you must submit your report the next business day (usually Monday).

The ministry pays most welfare benefits in advance of the month they’re for, except for hardship assistance. You should receive your monthly payment no later than the last Wednesday of the previous month. For example, you should get your February welfare payment no later than the last Wednesday in January. See the ministry’s website for current income assistance payment dates.

Hardship assistance is paid after the first of the month. Eligibility for hardship assistance cannot be assessed early. You must complete your monthly report on or after the first of the month to prove your eligibility for that month before the ministry will release your hardship payment.

You can receive your monthly welfare payment by direct deposit, have your cheque mailed to you, or go pick it up at a ministry office. 

Sometimes the ministry withholds a welfare payment. They may do this if they need more information from you to confirm your eligibility for benefits. 

If you don’t receive your monthly payment when you’re supposed to, contact the ministry right away. Ask for the reason and what you need to do to fix it. If the ministry wants information that you can’t access right away, ask if you can get your payment while you look for it. If you aren’t able to fix the problem, it’s a good idea to contact an advocate. See below, under who can help.

If your cheque is lost or stolen

If your cheque goes missing, the ministry will replace it if it’s unendorsed (you didn’t sign the back of it) and you make certain promises. They’ll also replace a direct deposit payment that didn’t make it into your bank account. 

Under BC law, the ministry may ask you to do an eligibility review to confirm that you still qualify for welfare. For those on income assistance, eligibility reviews may be done annually. You may also be asked to do an eligibility review if there are changes to your income, assets, or living situation.

Being asked to do an eligibility review doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong. Most people on welfare are asked to do one at some point.

Eligibility reviews are conducted in person, over the phone, or by filling out and submitting a review form. Before your review, the ministry will send you a letter or message on My Self Serve asking for certain documents. Once you provide the requested documents, the ministry will schedule an interview for you.

You may be asked to do a compliance review

The ministry may ask you to do a type of eligibility review called a compliance review. This means you’ll have to speak to an investigative officer with the ministry’s compliance and debt management department.

Reasons the ministry may ask for a compliance review include:

• the ministry overpaid your welfare

• other government agencies think you have income that you didn’t report

• your file shows “risk factors,” such as your rent being higher than your reported monthly income.

There are a few scenarios where you may end up owing the ministry money.

Benefits you have to pay back

Some types of welfare and supplements are repayable, meaning that you need to pay the ministry back. This includes some types of hardship assistance. For example, hardship assistance you receive while waiting for employment insurance or other income is repayable.

Certain supplements are also repayable. Examples include:

• security deposit supplements

• co-op share purchase supplements

• reconsideration and appeal supplements, if you lose the appeal

Before you get repayable benefits, the ministry usually asks you to sign an agreement saying you’ll pay them back. If you’re unsure whether a benefit is repayable, or you need help understanding an agreement, it’s a good idea to speak to an advocate. 

If you get assistance you weren’t eligible for

An overpayment is where you get welfare benefits or supplements you don’t qualify for. This could happen if you miscalculate your income or forget to report a change to your circumstances in your monthly report. If an overpayment happens due to your mistake, you have to pay it back.

Sometimes an overpayment results from a mistake made by the ministry. You may be able to argue that you don’t have to pay it back if you have an estoppel defence. Under BC law, an estoppel defence protects someone who, through no fault of their own, receives benefits they weren’t eligible to receive.

If the ministry thinks you received an overpayment, a staff member will investigate. You’ll receive a letter or message on My Self Serve explaining their position. It’ll include a chart of the months they think it happened, the reason, and the amount for each month. If you don’t agree that there’s been an overpayment, you can request a reconsideration. If you want support with a reconsideration, or you need help understanding something, it’s a good idea to contact an advocate. 

Dealing with the ministry can be hard. But it’s important to remember that you have the right to get help. It’s not your fault that you’re struggling to meet your needs. Be persistent, and don’t hesitate to reach out to a friend or advocate for support if you need to.

You have the right to fair treatment from the ministry. Ministry staff must treat you with respect and take seriously any concerns you have. They must follow BC’s human rights laws in their dealings with you. This means they have a duty to accommodate your needs. If you’re treated unfairly because of your unique needs or characteristics, it could be discrimination. 

To continue to get the assistance you need, it’s important to understand your rights and responsibilities. 

Your responsibilities while on welfare

Some recipients of income assistance have to do a client needs assessment and enter an employability plan. These requirements are meant to help those who are able to work to find a job. We explain them in greater detail in the following section.

You’ll also need to submit a monthly report. This is a legal document that tells the ministry you’re still in need. It includes important information about your situation that’s used to calculate the amount of your next assistance payment. See above under what you should know for more on the monthly reporting requirement.

If you’re on income assistance and able to work, the ministry may say you have employability-related obligations. This means you need to carry out certain action items that are intended to move you towards employment.

Under the law, the ministry can ask those with employability-related obligations to do a client needs assessment. This is a tool the ministry uses to learn more about your work situation. For example, your readiness to enter the workforce or any barriers to employment you may face. 

Once you’ve completed your assessment, you may be asked to enter an employability plan. This is a legal agreement between you and the ministry. It outlines your personal employment objectives and expected outcomes. It also describes tasks you need to complete to improve your chances of landing a job. Examples include:

• searching for jobs online

• participating in résumé workshops

• attending interviews

• accessing other employment services

Some people don’t have employability-related obligations and are exempt from the employability plan requirement. For example, those age 65 or over are exempt. So are single parents with a child under age three. 

If you sign an employability plan and don’t stick to it, the ministry may reduce or stop your welfare payments. So it’s important to understand everything in your plan before you sign it. Ask questions if something is unclear, and request any changes you think are necessary.

You must make a reasonable work search

If your employability plan says you have to look for a job, you must make a reasonable work search. To this end, the ministry may ask you to tell them about:

• what you’ve done to find a job

• the jobs you’ve applied for 

• any interviews you’ve had

Keep good records of all your efforts to find work. 

When you’re on welfare and you get money from other sources, the ministry considers it income in the month you receive it. You must declare any income you receive. You do this in section two of your monthly report. 

Write the dollar amount on each line. Write “0” if you didn’t earn that type of income. Gather proof for each amount, such as a pay statement or receipts. If you have a spouse, they must complete this section as well.

Some types of income can impact your welfare payments. To know whether income you get affects your welfare, you have to understand the different categories of income.

If you get earned income

The first category is called earned income. The main source of earned income is any wages you earn from working. Other sources of earned income include money you receive from renting rooms in your home or providing room and board.

You can collect some earned income while you’re on welfare without having it deducted (taken) from your monthly payment. This is called an earnings exemption. Usually, you become eligible for an earnings exemption after receiving income assistance for one month. But if someone in your family unit received income or disability assistance in one of the last six months, the exemption will take effect right away.

The amount of your earnings exemption depends on what type of welfare you get and the size of your family unit. As of April 2026, the monthly earnings exemption for a single person on income assistance is $600. 

If you get money from other sources

The second category of income is called unearned income. This includes most money you get that isn’t earned income. Sources of unearned income include:

• employment insurance

• money received from a trust or inheritance

• spousal support

Usually, the ministry deducts (takes off) unearned income from your welfare payment. If you get non-exempt unearned income that’s more than your total monthly welfare payment, you won’t get a payment the following month. That’s because the ministry says you have “income in excess” of your usual welfare payment.

Some types of unearned income don’t get deducted from your welfare payment. This is called exempt income. Exempt unearned income is money you can keep. Examples include tax refunds and EI maternity and parental benefits.

Some types of money are not considered income under BC’s welfare law. For example, payments received through Indigenous financial settlements are not considered income, and will not impact your eligibility for assistance. 

When the ministry is deciding if you can stay on welfare, they look at the total value of your assets. They sort your assets into two categories: exempt and non-exempt. Exempt assets are things you own that the ministry doesn’t count towards your asset total. Non-exempt assets are everything you own other than exempt assets. 

To continue receiving welfare, the value of your non-exempt assets must be below a certain amount, called your asset limit. The ministry’s website lists current asset limits for income assistance.

In section one of your monthly report, you have to tell the ministry if you received or sold any assets. This is so they can confirm that the value of your non-exempt assets is still below your asset limit. If your non-exempt asset total rises above your asset limit, you may cease to qualify for assistance.

When income becomes an asset

It’s important to understand how the ministry distinguishes between income and assets. When you get money, the ministry calls it income in the month you receive it. But in the following months, they refer to that money as an asset. This can be confusing, so let’s look at an example. 

Say you’re working part-time while you’re on income assistance. In July, you earn $400 in wages. The ministry calls that $400 of earned income in the month of July. Now, say you put $100 of those wages into a savings account and spend the other $300 on groceries. In August, the ministry says you have an asset worth $100 in your savings account.

If you give away or sell assets

Under the law, those receiving welfare have an obligation to pursue and use assets that could help them become self-supporting. This means that you’re not supposed to give away money or assets while you’re on welfare. Similarly, you mustn’t sell an asset for less than it’s worth. If you do either of these things in order to maintain your eligibility for welfare, the ministry may reduce or stop your payments.

An example of how the income and asset rules fit together

Consider this example scenario, which shows how the income and asset rules work in practice.

Jack is a single person on ​income assistance with no savings. His monthly assistance payment is $760 (a $560 support allowance and a $200 shelter allowance). 

On March 7, Jack receives an inheritance of $6,000 which he deposits into his bank account. He reports this amount as income on his monthly report for March, which he submits on April 3. In the month of March, Jack’s non-exempt income is $6,000, which is above his $760 welfare payment. The income rules kick in here to stop his assistance payment for one month — Jack doesn’t get his May welfare cheque at the end of April. 

After the month of March, Jack’s inheritance becomes an asset. By mid-April, he has spent $1,800 of his inheritance on living expenses, bills, and a new bed. Now he has $4,200 in the bank. This is below his $5,000 asset limit, so the asset rules don’t stop his welfare payment — Jack gets his June welfare cheque at the end of May.

While you’re on income assistance, the ministry needs to know who you’re living with and your relation to them. That’s because the amount of your monthly assistance payment depends on the size of your family unit. Your family unit includes you and your dependents. A spouse (married or unmarried) who lives with you is a dependent. So is a minor child who lives with you more than half the time and relies on you for necessities, like food and shelter.

If your living arrangements change, it’s important to say so in section one of your monthly report. 

Report changes in your dependents

If the number of dependents in your family unit changes, you must report it. For example, tell the ministry right away if you have a newborn child. This adds a new member to your family unit and will likely increase your assistance payment. It may also affect your eligibility for other supports, such as the child benefit top-up supplement.

Tell the ministry if your dependent child is no longer living with you. For example, if they move in with another family member, you have a new parenting arrangement, or they move into a place of their own. You should also report if your child is placed in the care of the Ministry of Children and Family Development. If you’re actively trying to have your child returned to you, the welfare ministry may continue to pay you your regular shelter allowance.

Report changes in your spousal relationship

You must report any changes to your relationship with your spouse (or your child’s parent). For example, tell the ministry if you separate or divorce. This could change the number of dependents in your family unit and impact your assistance payment. The ministry may also agree to help you defend a maintenance order or an agreement for child or spousal support. If you need help with this, ask for family maintenance services.

Sometimes the ministry says the person you’re living with is your spouse even though they’re not. If this occurs, ask the ministry what information they used to make their decision. For the ministry to consider you spouses, they must believe that you share your money, social life, and family life like a married couple. They must also believe that you’ve lived together for at least the previous 12 months. The ministry should be able to provide you with reasons they believe you are in a marriage-like relationship.

If you disagree with the ministry’s characterization, be ready to show how you both live separate lives. The ministry may require that you join your files as spouses. If you aren’t living together as spouses, don’t agree to this. Instead, ask for a reconsideration of their decision. We walk you through the steps to request a reconsideration.

Report changes to your shelter costs

Tell the ministry about any changes to the amount you pay for housing. This includes changes to any of the following expenses:

• rent

• mortgage payments

• utilities

• property taxes

Your monthly shelter allowance is based on your actual housing expenses. So any change in these expenses will impact the amount of welfare benefits you receive. 

Tell the ministry as soon as possible if you move. You may qualify for a supplement to cover some of your moving expenses. It’s important to tell the ministry your new address as well. This ensures that your welfare cheque and monthly report get sent to the right residence if you get it by mail. It also ensures that your rent goes to the right person if the ministry pays your rent directly to your landlord.

If you leave BC

To receive income assistance or hardship assistance, you must be ordinarily resident in BC. If you leave the province often, or for more than 30 days, the ministry can stop your payments and close your file. In some cases you can ask for permission from the ministry to leave BC for an extended period without it affecting your eligibility. For example, to attend an education program or avoid undue hardship. 

If you’re on income assistance, you must submit your monthly report by the fifth day of the month. You also need to report when there’s been a change to your situation. For example, if you separate from your spouse or you find a job. The report must be submitted by the fifth day of the month following the change.

If you receive hardship assistance, you must complete your monthly report on or after the first of the current month to prove your eligibility before the ministry will release your payment.

You can send your report by mail or drop it off at a ministry office.

If you don’t submit your monthly report on time, the ministry may withhold or delay your assistance payments until they receive your report. If the ministry doesn’t get a report from you for two months in a row, they may close your file. You’d likely need to reapply for benefits and your payments could be interrupted.