CLBC has revised its Individual Financial Payment Policy: Residential Services, which is renamed Individual Financial Contribution to Home Supports Policy. Individuals make payments towards their shelter and basic living costs when they are receiving home supports and housing is provided as part of the service. The revised policy includes new standardized rates that individuals contribute to staffed living or home sharing to reflect the government’s upcoming $125 shelter allowance increase for each family unit that is effective for August 1st, 2023 for individuals on disability assistance. The revised policy is now posted on the CLBC website here along with an updated Information for Families Sheet here.
The individual financial contribution standardized rates have not changed since 2016. Over the past year CLBC has conducted a policy review, looking at increasing costs experienced by individuals and home support providers, and with a goal of creating an updated framework for determining what is a fair amount for individuals to contribute to their shelter and basic living costs.
Policy Updates
The updated policy includes:
- new principles to guide application and interpretation of the policy
- a new individual financial contribution rate for people receiving disability assistance – effective August 1, 2023 this standardized rate will increase from $716.13 to $841.13, incorporating the government increase to maximum shelter allowance rates for PWD
- clarification of the overall compensation framework for home sharing providers who receive funding from two sources: the CLBC home sharing rates and the contribution from individuals
- a new chart that provides guidance on what costs the individual is responsible for covering versus what the home support provider is responsible for covering
- clear explanation of the individual financial payments as contributions to their shelter and basic living costs, in line with the new guiding principles – they are not considered room and board, nor are they expected to cover all room and board costs
- a definition of shelter and basic living costs.
Implementation of the PWD Shelter Portion Increase
The government’s increase to the maximum shelter allowance rates for individuals on disability assistance announced in Budget 2023 on February 28 will be passed through to home sharing providers and service providers that operate staffed homes.
CLBC wants to ensure home sharing providers receive the same total funding, no matter the shelter and basic living cost payment rate of the individual they support. To make sure all providers can access the $125 increase, effective August 2023:
- CLBC will increase the standardized individual financial contribution rate for people who receive PWD from $716.13 to $841.13.
- CLBC will provide an equivalent increase to payments to home sharing providers for people who are age 65+ and receive OAS/GIS.
CLBC has worked with the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (SDPR) to simplify the implementation of the increased maximum shelter allowance rate where possible.
- Individuals in home sharing or staffed living who receive the current standardized rate of $716 or $716.13, will have their standardized rate automatically increased to $841.13. No further action is required.
- Individuals in home sharing or staffed living with a shelter amount listed with SDPR other than the current standardized rate ($716 or $716.13), or who are supported through a Person-Centred Society (PCS) or Individualized Funding (IF) contract, will not receive the increase automatically. These individuals will have to update their shelter information with SDPR by completing a new Shelter Information form (HR3037) and submitting it through SDPR’s My Self Serve system at Myselfserve.gov.bc.ca as a service request, or in an SDPR office:
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- In the section titled “Type of Rental Accommodation”, select “D. Other” and specify either CLBC Home Sharing or Staffed Living services, and
- In the section titled “Accommodation Information” include the new contribution amount of $841.13 as the “Total Rent of Unit”
- Individuals living with their families will not receive the increase automatically unless their current rent registered with SDPR is $500 or more. Individuals with registered rents under $500 whose rent is increasing can submit a Shelter Information form to SDPR through My Self Serve or through their local Ministry office.
- Individuals living in market housing are covered under the Residential Tenancy Act under which a landlord is not allowed to raise rent by more than 2% a year. For more information on this, see Rent increases – Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca). Individuals living in market housing whose rent is going up by the allowable 2% and/or who have experienced increases in housing expenses such as hydro costs will need to submit a Shelter Information form to SDPR through My Self Serve or through their local Ministry office to receive an increased shelter rate.
The Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction is recommending that updated Shelter Information forms be provided to them as soon as possible, for the ministry to process in time for the August 1st timeline.
Questions about the shelter rate increase or how to update a shelter information form can be directed to the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction through My Self Serve or by phone at 1-866-866-0800.
