With inflation hitting hard at every corner in Canada, many people need help now more than ever.
The income assistance offered by the federal and provincial governments can be of great help at a time like this.
In British Columbia, income assistance is offered under the BC Income Assistance Program. As expected, this benefit is strictly administered to the residents of BC who meet the eligibility.
Are you eligible for the program? How much benefit will you get? When will you get the payments?
This article covers everything you need to know about the BC Income Assistance payment dates for 2024.
BC Income Assistance Dates 2024
The BC Income Assistance date is also referred to as “Welfare Wednesday”.
This is because the payment dates usually fall on the 3rd or 4th Wednesdays of each month.
Here are the BC Income Assistance dates for 2024.
| Payment Date | Benefit Month |
| January 17, 2024 | February 2024 |
| February 14, 2024 | March 2024 |
| March 20, 2024 | April 2024 |
| April 17, 2024 | May 2024 |
| May 15, 2024 | June 2024 |
| June 19, 2024 | July 2024 |
| July 17, 2024 | August 2024 |
| August 21, 2024 | September 2024 |
| September 18, 2024 | October 2024 |
| October 23, 2024 | November 2024 |
| November 20, 2024 | December 2024 |
| December 18, 2024 | January 2025 |
When you look at the above table, you will see that the BC Income Assistance payment for the current month is usually administered the previous month.
For example, the payment for January 2024 was paid in December 2023.
The February 2024 payments will be on January 17, 2024. And the payment for March 2024 will be paid in February of the same year.
That being said, there are two ways of receiving the BC Income Assistance payments. You can receive the payment through cheque or direct deposit.
It is always advisable that you set up direct deposit if you want to receive your Income Assistance payments faster.
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BC Income Assistance Cheque Dates 2024
The BC Income Assistance cheque dates are the same as the direct deposit payment dates. As such, the following were the BC Income Assistance cheque dates for 2024:
- January 17, 2024
- February 14, 2024
- March 20, 2024
- April 17, 2024
- May 15, 2024
- June 19, 2024
- July 17, 2024
- August 21, 2024
- September 18, 2024
- October 23, 2024
- November 20, 2024
- December 18, 2024
Bear in mind that the BC Income Assistance cheque payments usually come late after the direct deposit payment.
This is because it might take some days for the cheque to arrive at your local government office or mailing address.
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What is BC Income Assistance?
BC Income Assistance is tax-free social assistance administered to British Columbia residents who are in need.
The program is funded by the BC government and administered by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (MSDPR) to all those in need within the BC province.
Beneficiaries of the BC Income Assistance program often include persons with disabilities (PWD), persons with persistent multiple barriers (PPMB), job seekers and persons with low or zero income.
If you are currently facing a tough financial situation in British Columbia, the BC Income Assistance program is one of the benefits you can get from the government.
Who is Eligible For Income Assistance in BC?
Like every other government-administered program, BC Income Assistance has eligibility criteria.
To be eligible for the BC Income Assistance program, you must first be a resident of British Columbia and also meet one of the following requirements:
- Be unemployed
- Be incapable of working at a job
- Have an urgent need for food, medical service or shelter
- Be in anticipation of income from other sources
- Have an insufficient income that is not enough to meet basic needs
- Have exhausted all other options for getting assets or getting an income
The benefits you will get under the program will depend greatly on your situation. Below is a detailed explanation of the benefits you can access under the BC Income Assistance program.
BC Income Assistance Benefits
Though financial support is the main focus of the BC Income Assistance program, other benefits such as health support and employment support are also included in the program.
Let’s have a quick overview of each benefit administered under the BC Income Assistance program below:
Financial Support
The financial benefits of the BC Income Assistance program include cash payments and shelter allowance that are paid every month.
The size of your family determines the amount of financial support you will get under the BC Income Assistance program.
Below is a table showing the maximum financial support per family size:
| Family Size | Max. Financial Support |
| Single | $1,060 |
| Single parent with one child | $1,405 |
| Spouses without children | $1,650 |
| Spouses with one child | $1,845 |
As you keep reading, you will learn about the maximum financial support and shelter allowance available under this program.
Employment Support
Employment support is provided to eligible BC residents that are employable but jobless.
If you’re one of them, you will be required to fill out an “employment plan” by an Employment Assistance worker to help find you a job.
Also, you can get free job search and job training from WorkBC under the BC Income Assistance program.
Supplementary Benefits
Aside from financial and employment support, the program also offers supplementary benefits to eligible persons.
Depending on your situation, here is a list of health supplements and general supplements you may claim under the program:
Health Supplements
- Dental-natal supplement
- Tube feeding
- Medical supplies (equipment and devices)
- Diet
- Nutritional supplement
- Optical
- Medical transportation
- Infant formula
- Orthotics and bracing
- Medical therapies (extended)
- Hearing aid(s)
- Drug and alcohol treatment (residential)
- Alternative hearing assistance
General Supplements
- Family maintenance/family bonus
- Security deposit
- Service dog & guide dog
- Crisis supplement
- Transportation or moving cost and living cost
- Pre-natal shelter
- Identification (ID) fees
- Utility security deposit
- Funeral costs (lost or stolen cheque)
- Co-operative housing share purchase
- School startup
- Clothing camp fees
Note: There are eligibility criteria for each of the above supplements. To know if you are eligible for any of these supplements, reach out to a BC representative.
How Much is Income Assistance in BC?
Your present situation and family size determine the amount of benefit you will get under the BC Income Assistance program.
The program determines a family size by considering the number of parents that make up your family and the number of dependent children present in your family.
When it comes to determining your current situation, the program considers your marital status, age, and health status.
The following tables show the maximum financial support and shelter allowance for different individuals under the BC Income Assistance program.
Table 1: Maximum financial support and shelter allowance for employable singles, couples and two-parent families below the age of 65.
| Family Size | Max. Financial Support | Max. Shelter Allowance |
| One | $560 | $500 |
| Two | $955 | $695 |
| Three | $1,055 | $790 |
| Four | $1,055 | $840 |
| Five | $1,055 | $890 |
| Six | $1,055 | $940 |
| Seven | $1,055 | $990 |
Table 2: Maximum financial support and shelter allowance for singles, couples and two-parent families below the age of 65 that are recognized as Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMB).
| Family Size | Max. Financial Support | Max. Shelter Allowance |
| One | $610 | $500 |
| Two | $1,055 | $695 |
| Three | $1,155 | $790 |
| Four | $1,155 | $840 |
| Five | $1,155 | $890 |
| Six | $1,155 | $940 |
| Seven | $1,155 | $990 |
Table 3: Maximum financial support and shelter allowance for singles, couples and two-parent families with one 65-year-old or older adult.
| Family Size | Max. Financial Support | Max. Shelter Allowance |
| One | $860 | $500 |
| Two | $1,255 | $695 |
| Three | $1,355 | $790 |
| Four | $1,355 | $840 |
| Five | $1,355 | $890 |
| Six | $1,355 | $940 |
| Seven | $1,355 | $990 |
If you take a closer look at the tables above, you will notice that family sizes 3 and above are entitled to the same financial support with different shelter allowances.
Can You Work While on Income Assistance in BC?
Yes. Working will not disqualify you from receiving BC Income Assistance benefits.
However, you should bear in mind that the earnings from your job and any other income source will impact your Income Assistance benefits.
Depending on your income, you may be exempted or have lower benefits from the Income Assistance program as you keep working.
This is to ensure that the program benefits those that need it most.
BC Income Assistance Payment Exemptions
As mentioned earlier, the total income from your job and other sources will impact how much you can get as financial support under the BC Income Assistance program.
However, there are monthly earning exemptions that apply to different family units and compositions.
Once your monthly income exceeds the applicable monthly earning exemption, your Income Assistance benefit will decrease.
The decrease will be based on the amount that exceeded your monthly earning exemption.
That being said, the following table highlights the current monthly earning exemption amount for the BC Income Assistance program based on family unit or compositions:
| Family | Monthly earning exemption amount |
| All eligible BC Income Assistance persons in a family | $600 |
| Families with a dependent or supported child | $900 |
| Families with a dependent/supported child with a severe disability | $1,080 |
| Families with at least one Person with Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMB) | $1,080 |
Say for example you are single and under 65 years of age. Your overall maximum monthly financial benefits will be $1,060 and your monthly earning exemption amount will be $600.
If you secure a job that pays you $1,000 per month, your subsequent BC Income Assistance payments would be reduced to $660 from $10,060
That would be determined by subtracting $400 from your monthly salary of $1,000 as the amount that exceeded your monthly earning exemption ($600).
BC Income Assistance Increase 2024
In October 2021, the BC Income Assistance was increased and singles started receiving $935 per month and couples with no children started receiving $1,525.
There was no increase throughout 2022 when inflation was at a historic high.
In August 2023, the benefits were increased only on the Shelter Allowance component of the program. Most of the income exemptions were also increased.
We hope that the benefits will further increase in 2024 as BC remains one of the most highly inflated provinces in Canada.
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How to Apply for BC Income Assistance
To apply for the BC Income Assistance program, you need to have these documents and information:
- Personal and family identification
- Social Insurance Number (SIN)
- Recent bank statement
- Car loan balance (where applicable)
- Rent and utility receipts (where applicable)
If you have the above documents and information, you can proceed to apply for the Income Assistance program via any of the following methods:
- Online: You can apply online by login into your My Self Serve account If you don’t have an existing My Self Serve account, click this link to register now.
- In-person: To apply in person, you have to visit any BC Income Assistance office near you. However, if there is no BC Income Assistance office in your community, you can visit a Service BC office to apply for the program.
- By phone: Simply call this line at 1-866-866-0800 (toll-free) during normal business hours.
Note: When applying for the BC Income Assistance program in person or by phone, do so within regular business hours (9 am – 4 pm). Also, don’t apply on Easter Mondays, Boxing Days, and other statutory holidays.
Once approved, you will be informed about your entitled monthly BC Income Assistance benefit.
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What Next?
On the fifth of each month, you are required to complete a monthly report form (“cheque stub”) to let the government know that you’re still in need.
The monthly report will determine your subsequent monthly benefits and eligibility for the program.
You can either submit the form online through your My Self Serve or by completing and submitting the manual monthly report (PDF) to your local office in person or by mail.
If you’re an employable Income Assistance program beneficiary, you must be actively searching for a job and report your job search each month via your My Self Serve account.
You can also report your job search in person by downloading the Work Search Activities form (PDF), fill and submit it to the nearest local office
If you are unable to secure a job after several attempts, you will be required to enroll for an eligibility assessment.
The eligibility assessment will enable a worker to properly verify all your information and also determine if you are eligible for the BC Income Assistance benefits. The worker will also do the following:
- Examine how ready you are for a job
- Require you to fill out the Shelter Information Form or provide a copy of your tenancy agreement (if you rent)
- Create an employment plan with you
Once the worker has confirmed your eligibility, you would start receiving the BC Income Assistance payments.
However, there are certain categories of persons that are exempted from searching for a job under the program. This includes those:
- Who are 65 years and older
- fleeing from a spouse or relative who is abusive
- Suffering from a physical or mental condition incapacitating them to look for jobs
- With disabilities or having an immediate family member with disabilities
- single parents with a dependent child below the age of 3
Concluding Thoughts
Government benefits like the BC Income Assistance program can help pay off your bills as you build your family life.
By submitting your monthly report regularly, you will maintain your eligibility and receive the Income Assistance you deserved.
As a BC Income Assistance beneficiary, chances are that you may also be eligible for related federal and provincial benefits. You shouldn’t hesitate to identify those benefits and claim them to improve your finances.
Before leaving, you should explore our blog section to learn more about other government benefits in Canada.
BC Income Assistance Dates FAQs
When is the next welfare day?
The next welfare day in BC falls on June 19 2024 which will be payment for the benefit month of July.
How long does it take to get BC Income Assistance approval?
It takes up to 3 weeks for new and returning recipients to get approved for the BC Income Assistance program.
When is BC Income Assistance going up?
The last time the BC Income Assistance payment went up was in October 2021. Since then, there has not been any increase or sign of an increase.
How much money do persons with disability get on BC welfare?
A single person with a disability under a 7-unit family size can receive a maximum of $20,20 as financial support and shelter allowance on BC Welfare Wednesday.
Can you travel and still be on welfare in BC?
You can travel outside BC for up to 30 days while receiving the BC Income Assistance payment.
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