2.3 - Awaiting Income other than Emloyment Insurance

Applicants who are applying for assistance because they are awaiting income other than Employment Insurance go through the regular Screening process.

Eligibility is based on the standard criteria with the amount of assistance based on the date they should receive the income they are awaiting. Confirmation of when the income is to be expected should be made with the income provider. The applicant/client may be required to sign form(s) in order for us to communicate with the expected income provider.

CALCULATION OF ASSISTANCE

If appropriate, assistance should be issued on a per diem basis until income is expected. Assistance is calculated as follows:

1. Number of days to be paid divided by
2. Number of days in the month - this total is multiplied by
3. The total of:

- the Basic Household Rate minus
- the monthly income for the household
- any prior assistance for the same period
- any deductions

If a lengthy period of time is anticipated before the income is expected, the use of a Brought Forward may be most appropriate.

The applicant/client may be required to sign the form(s) necessary for SD to seek reimbursement and therefore eliminate dual payment of assistance and other income.

Income which applicants and/or clients could be awaiting include, but is not restricted to:

• Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
• Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplement, Spouse's Allowance, Widowed Spouse's Allowance
• Workers' Compensation
• Insurance Settlement

All applicants/clients who are eligible but not receiving CPP benefits or are awaiting CPP benefits see Awaiting income other than E.I.

For all applicants/clients who appear to have a disability, or who are 60 years of age or older, case managers must verify eligibility information with the CPP office in Fredericton by faxing the Canada Pension Plan - Request for Information form to 452-3893.

All those applicants/clients/dependents determined to be eligible for CPP benefits are required to complete the Income Security Programs Consent To Deduction and Payment form (ISP 1613). This form should be sent by mail to:

Social Development Canada
PO Box 250
Fredericton , N.B.
E3B 4Z6

or faxed to 452-3893

Monthly verifications are made by SD central office of entitlement for CPP Early Retirement benefits for active clients who are 59 years and 6 months of age. Upon notification of such entitlement, case managers are responsible to contact clients in order to have them complete the necessary forms to apply for CPP, and for reimbursement to our Department. If a client/applicant refuses to apply for CPP, the amount the client would have received will be considered as CPP income and deducted from assistance benefits.

Case managers will be advised by tasks of those clients who are within six (6) months of the age to qualify for any of the above-mentioned benefits. These clients are to be sent the appropriate letter by their case manager advising them to apply for these benefits.

Case managers must carefully monitor cases for applicants/clients who are awaiting Workers' Compensation benefits - the Consent to Release Confidential Information" form should be signed by the applicant/client.

Tape matches of active clients are completed on a quarterly basis with the Workplace Health Safety and Compensation Commission of N.B. Where there appears to be a discrepancy between these two sources of information, our central office will send case managers a report in order to initiate contact with the client(s) concerned.

If an insurance settlement contains a percentage for lost wages, income replacement and/or health services benefits, then the income assistance benefits and/or the health services benefits issued for the time period covered by the insurance settlement should be recovered.  The recovery is made as per Section 10 of the Family Income Security Act and Section 5 of the Health Services Act, and refers to basic assistance and/or health  the amount issued for health services benefits, less the legal fees specific to those amounts.

For example.  A client receives an insurance settlement for lost wages of $2,000.00 per month for ten months ($20,000.00).  While awaiting the settlement the client received $485.000 per month in basic assistance.  The Department would also be reimbursed for any benefits issued through the Health Services Program.

The Consent to Deduction and Payment – Insurance Settlements form should be completed for all basic assistance and health card only cases as soon as the Needs Assessment Specialist or Case Manager is aware the applicant/client is awaiting an insurance settlement.  This ensures the reimbursement will come directly from the lawyer.  The cheque should be forwarded to Accounting Services at Central Office and no overpayment is established on the case.

If the applicant/client neglects to inform the Department of an insurance settlement and no Consent To Deduction and Payment – Insurance Settlements form is completed, he/she is still obligated to repay the full amount of the basic assistance benefits.  If the client agrees to the repayment then the cheque should be forwarded to Accounting Services at Central Office and no overpayment is established on the case.  If the client does not agree with the repayment then an overpayment should be established for the months in question.