Living on welfare

Spreading the word about Clicklaw

As you may have heard, Jagrup Brar, MLA Surrey Fleetwood, will spend the first month of the new year living on welfare. Having accepted Raise the Rates Coalition’s MLA Welfare Challenge, Brar’s budget for Janurary 2012 will be $610 – the welfare rate set for a single person considered employable. According to Raise the Rates, the goal of the Challenge is to raise public awareness around welfare rates and poverty.

If you are applying for, or are living on welfare, it is important to know your rights and what to expect.

Clicklaw can help you get started by helping with these common questions:

I have to go on welfare. What do I need to know before I apply?

I’m going to the interview for welfare. What do I need to know?  

 q+a

Also, if you live on a reserve, be sure to get started with:

How is welfare different on and off reserve?

 

International recognition for Nidus and the Representation Agreement Act of BC

The broader context

A Scientific Advisory Board to the World Future Council  has chosen the Representation Agreement Act as the best policy in the world for recognizing the right to support in personal decision making and avoiding guardianship. As reported in the October issue of  the Nidus newsletter, the Nidus Personal Planning Resource Centre and Registry has been recognized as  the organization that has been the main driver behind the creation of the Act, and as the leading expert on this unique  BC policy.

 

Recognizing the capacity of all people to direct their lives, a Representation Agreement is a legal document available to adults in BC for personal planning. It allows you to authorize one or more personal supporters to be your representative to help you manage your affairs and, if necessary, to make decisions on your behalf in case of illness, injury, or disability.

A great introduction to Representation Agreements is provided in this Nidus fact sheet. RepAgreementFactSheet

 

 

Looking for more? Check out these helpful resources from Nidus- including how-to’s, legal forms, videos, and more – on Clicklaw.bc.ca.