Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped Act, sections 3(1)(a), 3.2 and Schedule 1, section 7
Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped General Regulation, sections 2(c), 2.01(1)(d)(ii), 2.01(1)(e) 2.01(2)(b), 4(3), 4(4) and 8; Schedule 3
MO-2018-21 - Personal Benefit Rates and Frequencies
Ministerial Order 2022-006 - Prenatal Needs Benefit

INTENT

To describe what is normally provided to clients through personal benefits.

POLICY

AISH provides personal benefits to assist clients with specific one-time or ongoing expenses over and above the monthly living allowance or modified living allowance. Personal benefits may also be provided to clients to help offset costs associated with their dependent children.

To be eligible to receive a personal benefit, the following criteria must be met:

• Assets of the client and their cohabiting partner, not including exempt assets, must not exceed $5,000;
  
  • If the client is in a situation of financial hardship, a personal benefit may be approved when a client and their cohabiting partner have assets over $5,000;
• The client must demonstrate a need for the benefit; and
• The same or similar benefit must not be available from any other program or source.

Normally, the benefit will be issued at the end of the month for the following month. Personal benefits may be issued through a third party.

Personal benefits cannot be used to supplement (or “top-up”) benefits provided by other programs.

Clients may remain eligible for personal benefits while receiving treatment in a hospital, an addiction treatment facility or if they are temporarily admitted to an institution and continue to receive a living allowance or modified living allowance. Eligibility for individual personal benefits may be reviewed based on the change in circumstances.

For further information see Temporary Admissions to Institutions and Residential Addiction Treatment Facilities.

AISH workers do not have the authority to approve a personal benefit that is not included in Schedule 3 of the AISH General Regulation. Schedule 3 personal benefits are listed below (with the exception of Requesting Additional Personal Benefits). AISH workers also do not have the authority to approve personal benefits outside of the rates and frequencies outlined in the policy manual (as set out in the AISH Act, Schedule 1, section 7 and MO 2018-21).

AISH workers have the authority to deny a personal benefit that is not included in Schedule 3 of the Regulation or that is not within the rates and frequencies outlined in the policy manual. A request for a personal benefit that is not included in Schedule 3 of the Regulation or that is not within the rates and frequencies outlined in the policy manual may be considered by the senior manager under the Requesting Additional Personal Benefits policy.

Rates for personal benefits are not appealable.

Benefits issued subject to repayment

Personal benefits may be issued subject to repayment in certain circumstances. In these cases, clients must agree to repay the benefit before it is issued by signing a repayment agreement.

A repayment agreement may be required in the following situations:

• When a benefit has already been issued and is being requested multiple times;
• When it is a benefit that is not normally provided; and
• In cases of neglect or abuse of a previous benefit.

	Child Care
	Children’s School Expenses
	Emergency
	Employment and Training Supports
	Escaping Abuse
	Establishing a New Residence (Community Start-Up Benefit)
	Funeral Benefits
	Infant Care
	Moving
	Prenatal Needs Benefit
	Requesting Additional Personal Benefits
	Remote Community
	Special Goods and Services
	Travel