Income and Employment Supports Act, Schedule, section 10
Income Support, Training and Health Benefits Regulation, Schedule 4, section 26
Ministerial Order 2018-19, Appendix D: Schedule 4 - Supplementary Income Support Rates

INTENT

To provide assistance to clients in an emergency situation who do not have resources to meet the emergency need.

POLICY 

An emergency allowance may be provided for food, accommodation, replacement clothes, unpaid utility bills, repairs to home or major appliances, or other goods and services of an emergency nature may be provided when:

• The situation is beyond the control of the household unit, and
• An applicant or a recipient or a member of the household unit is in a situation that presents a serious health or safety risk, and
• The person cannot wait until the next payment date, access other available resources, or make alternative arrangements.

In all cases, the worker must review Compass Comments to ensure that an emergency allowance has not already been issued for the same emergency situation.

Substantiation

• Verbal statement of the client, or
• Workers’ knowledge or observation, or
• Evidence from a reliable source that the item is essential.
  (e.g., Trailer Park Management requires a mobile home to be skirted or the owner will be evicted, Fire Department states a home has unsafe wiring, etc.)
• In the case of the Emergency eviction benefit, a statement of arrears or notice of eviction.
• In the case of the Emergency damage deposit, a lease agreement or notice of rental details.
• In the case of unpaid utility bills, a utility bill or statement.
  
  Note
  In the case of an essential appliance or home repairs, a written estimate is required. 
  Workers may ask for further substantiation and verification in situations where:

• Eligibility cannot be determined without further documentation (e.g., medical need), or
• The worker has reason to believe the client is withholding information or providing inaccurate information.

Emergency Allowance Rates

• Rate for Replacement Clothes
  $243.00 per Adult
  $182.00 per Child
  
  Need Code
  1842  Emergency Clothing

• Rate for Food
  1. When the members(s) of the household unit are required to travel outside the community where they reside for more than 24-hours:
     • $13.00 per day per adult
     • $8.00 per day per child
       
       Need Code
       1850  Emergency Food Travel (i.e., outside the home community)
       
  2. Where the member(s) of the household unit are within the community they reside:
     • $27.00 per month per adult
     • $17.00 per month per child
       
       Need Code
       1841  Emergency Food-Non-Travel (i.e., in home community)
       
  3. If this amount is not sufficient, the food rate portion of the Core Essential may be used or prorated as required.  

• Rate for Accommodation
  Actual cost of reasonable hotel, motel or other accommodation as approved by the worker, until alternate accommodation is found.
  This emergency benefit may be issued in addition to any Core Shelter allowance issued within the same benefit period.
  
  Authority
  Worker – up to one month (two weeks at a time)
  Supervisor – any additional time
  
  Need Code
  1843 Emergency Shelter

• Repairs to Major Appliance
  Actual cost of essential repairs to the home or major appliances owned by the applicant or recipient subject to repayment, ISTHB Regulation, Section 99.
  
  Need Code
  1845  Emergency Repairs to household appliances

• Repairs to Home
  Actual cost of essential repairs to the home owned by the applicant or recipient subject to repayment, ISTHB Regulation, Section 99.
  
  Need Code
  1846 Emergency Home Repairs

• Rate for Damage Deposit
  The actual cost of the damage deposit to establish a residence to prevent homelessness, up to:
  • $1,130.00 for families with children, or
  • $397.00 for singles and childless couples
    Households would only be able to access this benefit once in a three year period.
    
    Note
    For singles and childless couples, up to the maximum amount for families with children may be provided to assist families in the preparation of the addition of a child to the household (by birth or adoption or when a child is returning to the household after being in the care of Child and Family Services or living elsewhere).  This benefit amount can be issued when the child is within three months of becoming a member of the household unit.
    
    Need Code
    1851 Emergency Damage Deposit

• Rate for Eviction Due to Outstanding Rental Arrears
  The actual cost of outstanding rental arrears to prevent homelessness, up to:
  • Same as rate above for Damage Deposit for families with children, or
  • Same as rate above for Damage Deposit for singles and childless couples
    

Applicants or recipients residing with a family member are not eligible for this benefit.

The first arrears payment is not recovered, but subsequent arrears payments are subject to repayment under the authority of ISTHB Regulation, Section 99.

Need Code
1852 Emergency Eviction

• Rate for Unpaid Utility Bills
  The actual cost of utility arrears required in order to access services or to prevent a disconnection of services. This information can be obtained using the EMP 3118 Consent to Release Utility Information.

Note
To meet emergency eligibility criteria for Unpaid Utility arrears the worker should ensure options to move from a Competitive Service Provider (Unregulated) to a Regulated Service Provider have been explored. To determine if there are Regulated Service Providers in the requested area, the worker may use the search function on the Utilities Consumer Advocate - Retailers and Distributors site. If this option has not been considered the worker should advise the applicant / client to contact the Regulated Service Provider to explore this option first.

The first arrears payment for each utility is not recovered but subsequent arrears payments for each utility are subject to repayment under the authority of ISTHB Regulation, Section 99.  When utility connection, reconnection, or deposit fees are issued along with an emergency allowance for utility arrears, each of these fees must be coded under the applicable need code.

Need Code
1807  Utility Arrears
1817  Utility Connection
1820  Utility Deposit
1829  Utility Reconnection

• Other Emergency Goods and Services
  Actual cost up to a maximum of $1,130.00 for other emergency benefits in addition to items already outlined in this section of policy.
  
  A person is eligible for this allowance only once for each set of circumstances. Each set of circumstances can be interpreted to mean each set of circumstances, each month.
  
  The client may be required to repay, under ISHTB Regulation, Section 99, any amount issued as an Other Emergency Issue.
  
  Authority 
  Site Manager
  
  Need Code
  1847 Other Emergency Issue
  

PROCEDURES
LISA automatically posts benefits to that have restrictions by amount or frequency of issuance to the Scratch Pad.

The following emergency benefits may be subject to repayment:
1845 - Emergency Repairs to Household Appliances
1846 - Emergency Home Repairs
1852 - Emergency Eviction
1807 - Utility Arrears
1820 - Utility Deposit
1829 - Utility Reconnection
1847 - Other Emergency Issue

When issuing an emergency benefit, the worker records the following in Compass Comments:

1. The type of benefit issued. If it is a utility related benefit, which utility (e.g., electricity, natural gas, or water).
2. The amount of the benefit issued.
3. The date the benefit is issued.
4. The conditions that support the issuing of the benefit.
5. The substantiation or verification provided by the client.
6. If subject to repayment, enter the date the EMP 0976B - Repayment Agreement was signed and entered into the Recoveries System.