When a household unit makes application for income support benefits and the adult members of the household unit are living apart because:

• One adult is living in the community and 
• The other adult is residing in a facility (long term admission)

The household unit’s needs are met by issuing benefits on two separate files, if the household unit as a whole is eligible to receive income support benefits.

Assessment at Intake

The household unit must qualify for income support benefits based on total household unit needs, income, and assets.

The worker manually calculates:

• The needs of the adult person (and dependants) living in the community and
• The needs of the adult person living in the facility and
• The total income of the household unit.

The worker applies all income support legislation and policy concerning income and assets to determine if the household unit is eligible.

Assessment of Ongoing Client

If the household unit is already receiving income support benefits, the worker:

• Refers the spouse/partner to apply for Income Support.
• Removes this adult from the client’s file.
• Makes all appropriate adjustments in Client File function 7 and Client Budget function 9.
• Case conference with the worker taking the application to ensure consistent documentation on both files.
• Records in Compass Comments the name, PID and file number of the adult receiving benefits on a separate file.
  Note
  The worker MUST update the Client File in a timely manner to prevent a CCD Duplicate Client Report.
  
  

Case Management

Both files are administered from the Service Centre of the person who is living in the community in order to:

• Facilitate the accurate assessment of the household unit’s ongoing eligibility,
• Reduce workload in the Service Centres, and
• Meet audit requirements.

When an application must be completed for the adult being admitted to a facility outside the Service Centre boundaries, and:

• That person cannot attend an office interview and
• The distance to the facility does not allow an out-of-office intake to be completed.

The person is referred to the Service Centre which serves the facility. When the application is completed, the file is transferred to the Service Centre responsible for the adult person who resides in the community.

Whenever possible, the same worker should be responsible for the case management of both income support files.

When the facility is not located within the boundaries of the Service Centre managing the files, the worker:

• Notifies the facility of this arrangement.
• Provides the facility with the worker’s name.
• Requests all correspondence be forwarded to their Service Centre.
  
  Note
  When it may be appropriate for the Service Centres which serves the facility to administer both files and both adults reside in the same Region but within different Service Centres boundaries, the Service Centres managers decide which office retains both files.
  

Administrative Support (AS) Responsibilities

To enable appropriate tracking of both files, the AS staff indicate on the EMP 355a File Label in the Cross References section of all volumes, the name, PID and file number of the other adult person receiving benefits on a separate file.
Both active files may be filed in the same file folder.

Budget Calculation (Separate Files)

When the household unit has been assessed eligible for income support benefits, the worker:

Advises both adults that:

1. The assets and income for the household unit may be adjusted between files to maintain eligibility for both adults.
2. The household unit must remain eligible for income support benefits in order for each person to receive benefits on their individual files.
3. Unless the Automated Reporting Card (ARC) is exempted for the individual in a facility – monthly benefits will not be issued until each person has completed their report.
4. The household assets may be divided between the two files to maintain the eligibility of each person on their own file.
5. Income will be entered on the budget of the client who is in receipt of the income unless the income after exemption exceeds that person’s needs. In this situation the income is entered in the “SP column” on the other adult’s file.

Dividing Income Between Two Files

If the household income is insufficient to meet the total household needs but:

• Exceeds the needs of the client living in the community and
• Exceeds the needs of the person living in the facility

The income is divided between the two files and is recorded on each file in Client Budget function 9.

When dividing partially exempt income, the income after exemption is manually calculated and then recorded on each file under Income Code: 4399 Other Income.

When dividing non-exempt income, the income is recorded on each file under the income code applicable to that type of income.

When the worker is assigning income to a client who has not earned or received that income directly, the worker records the income in the “SP column” in the Budget Update screen.

Example – ETW

• The household is eligible for income support benefits because needs exceed resources and income and assets are within regulated limits
• If the total income is recorded on either file, LISA advises income exceeds needs.
• Manually calculate income after exemption (i.e., $1500 - $461 earnings exemption = $1039). Divide the income and record the amount assigned to File A under Income Code: 4399 Other Income.

• Record remaining amount of income after exemption under Income Code: 4399 Other Income in “SP column”.

Child Support Services

Because the separation of the adult members of the household unit is due to the health requirements of one of the adult members, the worker does not make a referral to Child Support Services.

The Marital Status data field is coded 9 Spouse/partner has own AISH/income support file. For income support clients this code is used when one spouse/partner resides in the community and the other spouse/partner resides in a facility. Each spouse/partner has a separate file and the marital status on both files is coded 9.