Income and Employment Supports Act, section 5(1)(a); Schedule, sections 4(b), 8 and Tables 2 and 3
Income Support, Training and Health Benefits Regulation, sections 1(2)(a.1), 1(2)(c), 1(2)(d), 1(2)(f), 2(1), 2(2) and 2(4)

INTENT

To provide for the costs of rent, mortgage, utilities (except for electricity in social housing) heating fuel, municipal taxes, insurance, condominium fees, lot rental, homeowner’s maintenance, and damage deposit.

POLICY

Core Shelter is determined by household composition and living arrangement.

Clients residing in private housing or social housing are eligible for Core Shelter at the rate specified in the Maximum Monthly Core Shelter Payment Table-Private Housing and Maximum Monthly Core Shelter Payment Table Social Housing.

Core Shelter rates are legislated and cannot be exceeded by Seniors, Community and Social Services staff or Appeal Panels. No additional allowance may be issued for an item covered by Core Shelter, unless a specific provision has been made elsewhere in the ISTHB Regulation. For other provisions please see Supplementary Benefits.

Single persons without accommodation are referred to a shelter in locations where they exist. Duplicate Core benefits are not issued to individuals residing in government-funded shelters.

Core Shelter for applicants can be issued for the entire month if the applicant has unpaid shelter costs.

Substantiation

For all benefits issued in this section, substantiation is as reported and signed by the client on their EMP 3428 Income Support Application or as reported on the Automated Reporting for Clients (ARC).

Verbal notification from the client may be accepted as confirmation of an address change depending on the worker knowledge of the situation and if the change does not represent a change in eligibility for or the amount of the Core Shelter benefit.

See Core Shelter Rate Adjustment policy for information about adjusting Core Shelter benefits.

NOTE

If a client/applicant requires financial assistance but, due to barriers, is unable to meet in person, the requirement to sign the EMP3428 Income Support Application can be deferred.

Staff should verify the client’s address to the extent possible to ensure that the Albertan is receiving the most appropriate supports (financial and otherwise).

Record the reason that any forms were not signed in Compass Comments. Include details about substitutions to these requirements that are being temporarily used.

Set a Compass Reminder to complete, at a later date, the policy requirement to ensure that all appropriate forms are signed if the client is still on the caseload.

Recording Shelter Benefits

LISA makes automatic adjustments if rates change or there is a household unit size change and ensures the client receives the correct Core benefits.

To ensure the proper amount of benefit is issued, shelter information entered in LISA must accurately reflect the client's shelter situation.

Living Arrangement Codes

Private housing:
Living Arrangement 1
These Core Shelter rates vary by household composition.

Social housing:
Living Arrangement 6
These Core Shelter rates vary by household composition.

Clients who live with family:
Living Arrangement 2

Clients who do not have accommodation costs:
Living Arrangement 7
Are not eligible to receive Core Shelter.

• Approved Homes
  An approved home is a home where residential support services are provided for adults with mental illnesses pursuant to an agreement with the Minister of Health and the provider. In the case of an approved home, the Core Shelter covers rent, heating fuel, utilities and food.
  
  If it is not clear whether the facility is an approved home as defined above, the worker may request a copy of the agreement between the service provider and the Minister of Health. The approved home should be able to provide this information.
  
  Need Code 1112 Mental Health Approved Home
  Living Arrangement 4 Approved Home/Group Home
  Rate $566.00 per month per adult
  
• McCullough Centre and Active Treatment Hospital
  See Core Essential policy regarding the Comforts Allowance.
  See Limited/Ineligible Groups-Health and Treatment Facilities policy for information regarding Clients in Acute Care/Active Treatment Hospitals, Long-Term Care Facilities, Mental Health Hospitals and Residential Addiction Treatment Facilities for eligibility for Core Shelter benefits.
  
• Group Homes
  A group home is a home where residential support services are provided to adults with physical or mental disabilities or illnesses pursuant to an agreement with the group home and the Government of Alberta. This includes group homes operated under contract by non-profit agencies such as Catholic Social Services. In the case of a group home, the Core Shelter covers rent, heating fuel, utilities and food.
  
  If it is not clear whether the facility is a group home as defined above, the worker may request a copy of the agreement between the service provider and the Government of Alberta. The group home should be able to provide this information.
  
  Need Code 1111 Government Funded Group
  Living Arrangement 4 Approved Home/Group Home
  Rate $482.00 per month per adult​
  

• Living with Family 
  A set Core Shelter amount is provided when the household unit resides with a parent, step-parent, adoptive parent, grandparent, adult child or adult grandchild, of one of the adults in the household unit. The relationship can be established through marriage or a relationship of interdependence.
  
  If the household unit is on a tenancy agreement or a joint owner with one of the relatives described above, or has a self-contained suite in the home of their relative, the full Core Shelter as outlined in the Private Housing policy is provided to each eligible applicant or recipient.
  
  Need Code 1134 Shelter Living with Family
  Living Arrangement 2 Living with Family
  Rate $115.00 per household unit
  
• Nursing Homes and Auxiliary Hospitals 
  A nursing home is a home under the Nursing Homes Act. 
  An auxiliary hospital is defined under the Hospitals Act.
  
  The maximum shelter allowance for an applicant or recipient residing in a nursing home or auxiliary hospital is the accommodation charge established under the Nursing Homes Act or the Hospitals Act, as the case may be.
  
  When a physician or nurse practitioner confirms the need in writing for a private room, the maximum rate paid, in accordance with the Nursing Homes Regulations, is the semi-private room rate.
  
  Lists of approved hospitals and nursing home in Alberta are identified can be found on the nursing home services list.
  
  Clients who were approved for a medically necessary private room before January 1, 2004 will continue to receive the private room per diem rate. This rate will be retained only for these individuals until they no longer require a private room.
  
  The Accommodation Charge is not paid to Provincial Mental Health Hospitals (Alberta Hospital Edmonton or The Centennial Centre for Mental Health and Brain Injury) and Claresholm Centre for Mental Health and Addictions Hospitals.
  
  Need Code 1105 Accommodation Charge
  Living Arrangement 5 Designated Facility
  Rate The accommodation charge is established by Alberta Health and can be found at Long Term Care Accommodation Fees. 
  

1. Ensure the Client File reflects accurate shelter information and any information impacting the shelter amount.
2. Enter the mailing address of the accommodation and the residence address (if different than the mailing address or if there is a financial administrator).
3. Enter the appropriate Living Arrangement field displayed in Client Budget and ensure the correct household composition and client type are correct in Client File. 
4. Update the Client Budget to reflect the actual shelter costs and then press PF10 to default the appropriate shelter benefits.
5. Update Compass to reflect accurate shelter information.
   

1. The worker must manually enter the Need Code identified in this section.
2. LISA will default to the Core Shelter amount for Living with Family when the worker presses the Enter key in Preliminary Budget in Eligibility Determination and PF10 key in Client Budget for all household types except One-Time Issues when the Living Arrangement is ‘2’ Living with Family.