DABC has been informed that clients currently receiving Ministry assistance (PWD, Income Assistance, Hardship Assistance), will automatically receive the BC Recovery Benefit – there is now no need to apply for the BC Recovery Benefit separately.
The following information comes directly from the Ministry:
“As of February 2021, the BC Recovery Benefit will be automatically paid to people on income, disability or hardship assistance and people receiving the senior’s supplement who were receiving assistance by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (SDPR) in December 2020 or January 2021.
• SDPR clients will receive the full BC Recovery Benefit amounts of $500 for single people an $1,000 for single-parent families and two-parent families.
• SDPR clients will be provided the BC Recovery Benefit in the same form that they receive their benefits from SDPR, such as:
• Via direct deposit from the Ministry of Finance, or
• By cheque mailed to your home address, or
• Through pick up at your local office if you do not have an address on file.
What do clients need to do?
• If clients have already applied for the BC Recovery Benefit and received the full $500 for a single person or $1,000 for single parents and families, there is no further action required.
• If clients have already applied for the BC Recovery Benefit and received a reduced eligibility amount, they will automatically receive a top up to the full amount via the payment method originally provided. Top up amounts of under $10.00 will not be issued.
• If clients have applied for the BC Recovery Benefit and are in the verification stage, they do not need to complete the verification process, as the BCRB payment will automatically be sent to them.
• If clients have not applied for the BC Recovery Benefit, there is no further action required, as the BCRB payment will automatically be sent to them.
Payments are expected to arrive by end of March 2021.
• Clients need to report the BCRB on their monthly stub as “Other Income”. The BC Recovery Benefit payment is exempt and will not affect their monthly payment amount.
• If a client was not in receipt of income assistance, hardship assistance, disability assistance or comforts allowance in December 2020 (for January benefit month) or January 2021 (for February benefit month) or the senior’s supplement in December 2020 or January 2021, they are not eligible for the automatic payment.
• If an individual is not eligible for the automatic payment, they can access the BC Recovery Benefit, through Ministry of Finance using their online application https://gov.bc.ca/recoverybenefit or call toll-free line at 1-833-882-0020.”
For more information on DABC, and to learn about their programs and services, click here.
