The BC Employment and Assistance (BCEA) Policy and Procedure Manual is a one-stop source for ministry service delivery, of all BCEA policy, procedure and program information.
Welcome to the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction BC Employment and Assistance (BCEA) Policy and Procedure Manual.
The BCEA Policy and Procedure Manual is a one-stop source for all BCEA policy, procedure and program information.
BCEA policy and procedure information is organized by Category. Each Category has a set of Policy Topics. To view an expanded list of available Policy Topics, click on the appropriate Category.
Topics provide related content such as an overview, policies, procedures, and links to relevant acts, regulations, contacts, rate tables and resources.
For more information on how to use the BCEA Policy and Procedure Manual, please visit our Navigation & Search Tips page.
Category: Health Supplements
Topic: Alternative Hearing Assistance Supplement, Medical Equipment Hearing Instruments, and Extended Medical Therapies
Effective Date: June 28, 2024
Alternative Hearing Assistance Supplement
Medical Equipment - Hearing Instruments
Extended Medical Therapies
Definitions updated:
Definitions added:
Category: Support & Shelter
Topic: Support Shelter & Special Care Facilities
Effective Date: June 1, 2024
Support, Shelter and Special Care facilities was updated to reflect the June 1, 2024 per diem increases.
New Policy
Previous Policy
Category: Eligibility
Topic: Absent from BC
Effective Date: June 1, 2024
Policy and procedures have been updated to clarify applicants and recipients must be ordinarily resident in BC to be eligible for assistance and ineligibility occurs after 30 consecutive days absent from BC without prior authorization.
The topic has been renamed to “Absent from BC” and information on First Nations Income Assistance Programs and Halfway Houses has been moved to the Pursuing Income topic.
New Policy
Previous Policy
Category: Application & Intake
Topic: Citizenship and Residency Requirements
Effective Date: June 1, 2024
Policy has been updated to reflect the residency requirement to be eligible for income, disability, and hardship assistance and how to assess whether someone is “ordinarily resident in British Columbia.”
New Policy
Previous Policy
Category: Eligibility
Topic: Pursuing Income
Effective Date: June 1, 2024
Information on First Nations Income Assistance Programs and Halfway Houses has been moved to the Pursuing Income topic. This is to clarify that the information is in relation to the requirement to pursue and accept other income or means of support.
New Policy
Previous Policy
Effective May 13, 2024
Decisions, Reconsideration & Appeal
Policy and procedures have been updated to reflect:
Decisions, Reconsideration & Appeal
General Supplements and Programs
Family Maintenance Services
Policy has been updated to reflect that a family maintenance assignment no longer ends when a recipient ceases to be eligible for assistance. This will allow them to continue receiving family maintenance services to complete legal proceedings in progress at the time they become ineligible.
General Supplements and Programs
Effective January 1, 2024
Income Treatment and Exemptions
The Earnings Exemption and the Annual Earnings Exemption limits have increased. This topic is being updated to reflect these changes.
New Policy
Previous Policy
New Related Links
Effective January 1, 2024
Policy has been updated to reflect the increase in the Monthly Earnings Exemption limits, Annual Earnings Exemption limits, Special Care Facility rates, and Senior Supplement rates.
Earnings Exemptions
Support & Shelter
Supports for Seniors
Effective August 1, 2023
Policy has been updated to reflect the Affordability Initiative updates that will implement increases to shelter and select supplement rates. Christmas Supplement has been renamed to the Winter Supplement.
General Supplements
Health Supplements
Support and Shelter
Effective: April 5, 2023
Policy has been updated to include the Indigenous Financial Settlements exemption. Payments captured by this exemption are exempt as income and assets for income, disability, and hardship assistance. This exemption applies to past and future payments that meet the criteria. It encompasses and replaces all existing exemptions for specific settlement agreements with Indigenous Peoples.
Effective: March 1, 2023
General Supplements & Programs
The Housing Stability Supplement has been introduced to temporarily maintain support and shelter costs when there are specific changes in a family unit’s circumstances. The Housing Stability Supplement replaces the Temporary Reduced Family Unit (TRFU) policy.
Health Supplements & Programs
Policy has been updated to reflect that clients in alcohol and drug treatment centres may be eligible to receive the Housing Stability Supplement.
General Supplements & Programs
Policy has been updated to reflect that the Housing Stability Supplement can be included in determining the amount of the Crisis Supplement for shelter.
Support & Shelter
Policy has been updated to reflect the Temporarily Reduced Family Unit policy has been replaced with the Housing Stability Supplement.
Eligibility
Policy and procedures have been updated to reflect that family units in receipt of income assistance that include Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMBS) or have a member residing in a special care facility now have the same monthly reporting requirements as family units in receipt of disability assistance.
Case Administration
Policy has been updated to reflect the Temporarily Reduced Family Unit policy has been replaced with the Housing Stability Supplement.
Decisions, Reconsideration & Appeal
Procedures updated to remove CIC (Temporary Absence Assistance) and the Deceased Adjustment Supplement from the list of decisions that cannot be reconsidered. These are now encompassed within the Housing Stability Supplement which is provided under the EA Act and the EAPWD Act.
Compliance & Debt Management
Policy has been updated to remove CIC (Temporary Absence Assistance) and the Deceased Adjustment Supplement from the types of assistance that cannot be included in debt calculation. These are now encompassed within the Housing Stability Supplement which can be considered in debt calculation.
Eligibility
Policy has been updated to reflect that persons residing in Halfway Houses may be eligible for the Housing Stability Supplement.
Support & Shelter
Policy has been updated to reflect that clients in special care facilities may be eligible to receive the Housing Stability Supplement.
Eligibility
Policy has been updated to reflect that the repayable warrant supplement can be provided if the warrant holder leaves the province to resolve a warrant and the remainder of the family unit chooses to stay in BC.