Income Support, Training and Health Benefits Regulation, Schedule 4, section 8
Full Time Learners:  Schedules 1, 2, 3 and 4 (Advanced Education)
Full Time Learners:  Schedules 1, 2, 3 and 4 (Labour and Immigration)

INTENT 

The Government of Alberta recognizes that individuals face higher shelter costs due to personal situations. This benefit assists learner households with high shelter costs in specific situations.

POLICY

The Government of Alberta may pay an additional shelter allowance when the following criteria are met:

• the core shelter allowance is insufficient,
• the learner is not living in social housing, and
• for only one of the following conditions at any given time

Large Family

There are six or more persons in the learner household and no suitable and less expensive accommodation can be found at rates allowed for core shelter.

When Accommodation is Adapted

A member of the learner household is disabled and the accommodation has been physically adapted for that person’s disability.

When Health is Endangered

A member of the learner household would have physical or mental health endangered by a move, for the duration of the training period for full-time learners.

Rate

See: Benefit Rate Table

PROCEDURE

The learner submits either a Learner Income Support Application (Full-Time Study) or a Change in Circumstances form, with an Additional Continuous Benefits form to the Learner Income Support Office (LISO) requesting the benefit.

Substantiation

Large Family

Copy of a lease agreement or mortgage documents and written cost of monthly utilities.

The benefit is provided for the length of full time learner member's training period.

When Accommodation is Adapted

Written documentation of the disability, a copy of the lease agreement or mortgage documents and cost of month utilities.

The benefit is provided for the length of the full time learner member's training period.

When Health is Endangered

Letter from physician or nurse practitioner verifying that physical health of a person in the learner household would be endangered by a move or a written opinion from a psychiatrist or a psychologist that the mental health of the person would be endangered by a move.  The medical professional is also asked by the learner to provide an opinion as to when the person's condition would improve so that he or she could move to cheaper accommodation.

Copy of a lease agreement or mortgage documents and written cost of monthly utilities.

The benefit is provided for the length of the full time learner member's training period unless a shorter duration is indicated by the medical professional.

APPROVAL

Learner Benefit Coordinator, Learner Income Support Office