Income and Employment Supports Act, Part 2, Division 1, sections 5, 5.1, and 6
Income Support, Training and Health Benefits Regulation, Part 1, section 2; Part 1, Division 2, section 11; and Schedule 4

INTENT

To provide clarity regarding the Income Support benefits that individuals who are experiencing homelessness may be eligible to receive, including monthly Core Essential benefits, Supplementary benefits, and Health benefits, or to meet one-time or on-going needs.

POLICY

This policy applies to applicants and clients who are experiencing homelessness, which includes, but is not limited to, individuals who reside in shelters, or have no fixed or permanent address, or who do not live in a conventional dwelling place (e.g. public spaces).

This policy does not apply to individuals residing in a recognized emergency shelter for persons escaping abuse (Family Violence Shelter) as these rates are specifically set under the Income and Employment Supports Act. Further information about benefits to individuals in a Family Violence Shelter can be found in the Core Essential policy.

To be eligible for Income Support benefits, applicants and clients must be present in Alberta. Eligibility for benefits cannot be denied on the basis that an applicant or client is experiencing homelessness.

Applicants and clients experiencing homelessness are assessed for general and financial eligibility, and may be determined to be in the One-Time Issue, Expected to Work (ETW), or Barriers to Full Employment (BFE) client category.

If these applicants meet eligibility criteria for ETW or BFE, they are eligible to receive the following on an ongoing basis:

• Core Essential;
• Supplementary Benefits (where applicable); and
• Health Benefits.

Note: The Core Shelter benefit is assessed for those with ongoing expenses related to housing, rent, etc.

Client circumstances are reviewed to determine if on-going eligibility criteria are met, including reviewing an Individual Plan.

Applicants and clients in this situation may have specific Supplementary benefit needs.

Transitioning To a Residence

If the applicant or client requires assistance to establish a residence, supplementary benefits are available, if eligibility criteria are met. For example, two of these are listed below, but this is not an exhaustive list:

• Utility Connection, Deposit, Reconnection
• Emergency Allowance

If an applicant or client is in an escaping abuse situation, they may be eligible for benefits specific to escaping abuse.

Related Resources

Identification for the Homeless
If individuals do not have identification, they can apply to the Alberta Health Services (AHS) AHS ID Program for assistance in obtaining ID.

To verify identification, follow the Substantiation and Verification policy.

Opening a Bank Account without Identification
Some clients may have difficulty opening a bank account due to lack of identification. Two banking institutions, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) and Alberta Treasury Branch Financial, have agreed to allow clients with limited or no identification, to establish a bank account. In these cases, workers should follow the Opening a Bank Account without Identification Policy.