P A R T C D e c i s i o n u n d e r A p p e a l U n d e r a p p e a l i s t h e m i n i s t r y ' s J a n u a r y 3 , 2 0 1 4 r e c o n a s s i s t a n c e i s s u e d t o t h e a p p e l l a n t i s t h e m a x i m u m f o t o s e c t i o n 2 4 a n d s c h e d u l e s A a n d B o f t h e E m p l o y m R e g u l a t i o n . P A R T D R e l e v a n t L e g i s l a t i o n E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e f o r P e r s o n s w i t h D i s a b i l E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n t h a t t h e $ 2 3 8 . 4 8 i n r w h i c h h e i s e l i g i b l e f o r O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3 , p u r s u a n t e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e f o r P e r s o n s w i t h D i s a b i l i t i e s i t i e s R e g u l a t i o n s ( E A P W D R )
PART E -Summar of Facts With the consent of both parties the hearing was conducted as a written hearing pursuant to section · 22 (3)(b) of the Employment and Assistance Act. The evidence before the ministry at reconsideration was as follows: e The appellant is a sole recipient of assistance with no dependants. 0 The appellant receives monthly Canada Pension (CPP) payments of $577.84 which is fully deducted from assistance. 0 The disability assistance rate for a sole person with disabilities is $531.42 support plus up to $375 for actual shelter costs. 0 The appellant does not have a set rent per month, but stays in a hotel as necessary and submits receipts. 0 For the month of October 2013 the ministry issued to the appellant a total of $238.48, consisting of $531.42 support+ $284.90 actual shelter costs, for which the appellant submitted receipts, less $577.84 CPP income. • December 20, 2013 Request for Reconsideration form with a four page letter, in which the appellant states he sleeps outside and uses the shelter allowance to stay in hotels in bad weather, and explains the reasons for his opinion the ministry has not properly calculated the amount of his financial assistance by the amount of $46.42. • The appellant's hotel receipts for October· 2013, for $63.25, $67.85, $67.85, and $85.95. Upon appeal the following were submitted: e The appellant's JanuaIy 21, 2014 Notice of Appeal e February 7, 2014 letter from the appellant, ,vhich goes to argument (see Appellant's Position) e February 14, 2014 letter from the ministry, which goes to argument (see Minist1y's Position) The panel finds it is undisputed by the parties that, as a sole person with disabilities, the appellant qualifies for monthly support of $531.42 plus a maximum of $375 for actual shelter costs, and that he has monthly CPP income of $577.84. EAAT 003( 10106101)
PART F -Reasons for Panel Decision The issue is the reasonableness of the ministry's reconsideration decision that the appellant received the maximum assistance available to him for October 2013. Relevant Legislation Employment and Assistance for Person with Disabilities Regulation (excerpts) ,. ) Definitions 1 (1) In this regulation: "unearned income" means any income that is not earned income, and includes, without limitation, money or value received from any of the following: (f) any type or class of Canada Pension Plan benefits; ' ) Amount of disability assistance 24 Disability assistance may be provided to or for a family unit, for a calendar month, in an amount that is not more than (a) the amount determined under Schedule A, minus (b) the family unit's net income dete,mined under Schedule B. ·• Schedule A • Disability Assistance Rates Amount of support 1 Sole applicant/recipient and no dependent children Applicant/recipient is a person with disabilities $531.42 ) Monthly shelter allowance 4 (2) The monthly shelter allowance for a family unit to which section 14.2 of the Act does not apply is the smaller of (a) the family unit's actual shelter costs, and (b) the maximum set out in the following table for the applicable family size: Column 1 Family Unit Size 1 person Column 2 Maximum Monthly Shelter $375 ) How actual shelter costs are ealculaled 5 (2 When calculating the actual n1onlhly___shelter costs of a family unit, only the following items are EMT003(10/06101)
i n c l u d e d : ( a ) r e n t fo r t h e f a m i l y u n i t ' s p l a c e o f r e s i d e n c e ; ( b ) m o rt g a g e p a y m e n t s o n t h e f a m i l y u n i t ' s p l a c e o f r ( c ) a h o u s e i n s u r a n c e p r e m i u m f o r t h e f a m i l y u n i t ' s p f a m i l y u n i t ; ( d ) p r o p e rt y t a x e s f o r t h e f a m i l y u n i t ' s p l a c e o f r e s i d e ( e ) u t i l i t y c o s t s ; ( f) t h e a c t u a l c o s t o f m a i n t e n a n c e a n d r e p a i r s f o r t h e p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t a n d i f t h e s e c o s t s h a v e r e c e S c h e d u l e B N e t I n c o m e C a l c u l a t i o n ( s e c t i o n 2 4 ( b ) ) ) D e d u c t i o n s fr o m u n e a r n e d i n c o m e 6 T h e o n l y d e d u c t i o n s p e r m i t t e d f r o m u n e a r n e d i n c o m ( a ) a n y i n c o m e t a x d e d u c t e d a t s o u r c e f r o m e m p l o y m ( b ) e s s e n t i a l o p e r a t i n g c o s t s o f r e n t i n g s e l f c o n t a i n e d A p p e l l a n t ' s P o s i t i o n T h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e s t h a t t h e m e t h o d o f c a l c u l a t i n g h f o r c e d d e d u c t i o n f r o m i n c o m e a n d a s s i s t a n c e t h a t i s d e d u c t i o n i s d i s c r i m i n a t o r y a n d r e s u l t s i n s e r i o u s h a r m e t h o d o f c a l c u l a t i o n i t i s n o t p o s s i b l e f o r h i m t o r e c e s i n g l e p e r s o n w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s ( $ 5 3 1 . 4 2 s u p p o r t a l l o w $ 5 7 7 . 8 4 = $ 3 2 8 . 3 4 ) w i t h o u t s p e n d i n g $ 4 6 . 4 3 f r o m h i s a m o u n t s t o a t a x , i s a b u r d e n , a n d s i n c e a p p l i c a t i o n f a l l o w a b l e , i s d i s c r i m i n a t o r y t o a l l p e o p l e w i t h P W D s t a g r e a t e r t h a n t h e m a x i m u m s u p p o r t a l l o w a n c e b u t l e s s T h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e s t o p r o d u c e t h e r e s u l t s i n t e n d e d r e i m b u r s e d d o l l a r f o r d o l l a r u p t o t h e m a x i m u r n t h e c l s u p p o r t $ 5 3 1 . 3 4 + m a x i m u m e l i g i b l e s h e l t e r $ 3 7 5 l e s T h e a p p e l l a n t s a y s h e h a s a d d i t i o n a l s h e l t e r c o : ; t s t o t s l e e p i n g e q u i p m e n t t h a t m u s t b e l i g h t , c o m p a c t a n d q w h a t h e w o u l d s p e n d i f h e h a d a n a p a r t m e n t w i t h s t o v T h e a p p e l l a n t s a y s h i s C P P i n c o m e i s $ 4 6 . 4 2 i n e x c e d e d u c t i n g i n c o m e f r o m a c t u a l r e n t e a c h m o n t h , t h e m -� -· · -E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )e s i d e n c e , i f o w n e d b y a p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t ; l a c e o f r e s i d e n c e i f o w n e d b y a p e r s o n i n t h e n c e i f o w n e d b y a p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t ; f a m i l y u n i r ' s p l a c e o f r e s i d e n c e i f o w n e d b y a i v e d t h e m i n i s t e r ' s p r i o r a p p ro v a l . e a r e t h e f o l l o w i n g : e n t i n s u r a n c e b e n e f i t s ; s u i t e s . i s f i n a n c i a l a s s i s t a n c e i s f l a w e d , l e a d i n g t o a n o t i n t e n d e d b y l e g i s l a t i o n . H e s a y s t h e d s h i p . T h e a p p e l l a n t s a y s w i t h t h e m i n i s t r y ' s i v e t h e m a x i m u m a s s i s t a n c e a v a i l a b l e t o a a n c e + $ 3 7 5 s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e t o t a l i n c o m e C P P i n c o m e . T h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e s t h i s o r C P P i s n e c e s s a r y b e f o r e a s s i s t a n c e i s t u s w h o h a v e C P P b e n e f i t s o r o t h e r i n c o m e t h a n t h e t o t a l a l l o w a n c e . b y t h e l e g i s l a t i o n , r e c e i p t s s h o u l d b e i e n t i s e l i g i b l e f o r , i n h i s c a s e : m a x i m u m e l i g i b l e s t o t a l i n c o m e $ 5 T l . 3 4 " $ 3 2 8 . 3 4 . a l l i n g $ 1 7 0 , c o n s i s t i n g o f a b o u t $ 2 0 a m o n t h f o r u i c k d r y i n g , p l u s $ 1 5 0 f o r p r e p a r e d f o o d b e y o n d e a n d f r i d g e . s s o f t h e $ 5 3 · 1 . 4 2 s u p p o r t a l l o w a n c e , a n d b y i n i s t r y d e d u c t s $ 4 6 . 4 2 t w i c e . -· ----_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _J
Th e appellan t ar g ues that when the am ou nt o f a ssis tance actual ren t each month, thi s fai ls t o pr odu c e re sults that to p rovid e ass is t ance to low incom e people , and this double deductio n, i n a b i lit y to re cei ve what h e is eli gible CPP wh en h e is eligible for more as sis tanc e. M i nist ry 's Po si tion The minis try ar gues t ha t C PP i n c ome is c onside red unear EAWPDR, a nd the f ull amount, $577.84, must b e ded to sec tion 24. The minist ry says t he maxi mu m am ount s up port allowance o f $5 31.42, plus act u al she ll e r cos F or O ctober 201 3, t he minis try 's c a l culat ion o f th e total assi a c tua l sh e lter cos t l ess $5 77.84 C PP = $238. 48. T he mi n i st ry say s th at because the ap pellant's CPP income · d i ffe r e nce o f $46 .42 wil l a lw a ys be de ducted fr om his t hat $ 46. 42 is only deducted o nce. Pan el' s Decis ion The appel lant has expres sed h i s vi e w s c l ear l y a s to how he believes the app b e interpret ed and a ppl ied in h i s circumstances. He als expenses i n ad diti on to hot e l bil ls , but t h e panel f i n ds c a lcula t i on of a c tu al sh elte r c o s ts a s li sted in s ec ti o n Sectio n 24 of th e EAW PD R sa ys the monthly d i sabi li a m ounts d etermi ne d under sc he du l e A, min us the n et inc p anel finds the m ini stry ' s c alcul atio n o f $531.42 sup p income == $ 2 38.48 is co nsis tent with t he l e g islation. The panel finds the ministry's decision was a reasonable application of the applicable enactment in the circumstances of the appellant , and confirrns the decision. EAAT003(10/06/01) i s calc u la ted by deducti n g income fr om ar e consis t ent wit h t h e intent of the le gisl ati o n ca lcul ati o n is t h e s o urc e o f his compl a i nts of for, a nd t hat he is fo r ced t o pay rent out of ned income pur sua nt to sec tion 9 o f th e ucted from th e appel lan t 's a ssi sta nce purs uant av ail abl e to the appell ant i s his m ont h ly ts up to $ 3 7 5, les s hi s $57 7.8 4 er .J P income . st a nce wa s $531.4 2 suppo rt + $284.90 exceeds his s u ppo rt a llowan ce, the shelte r expe nses. It is t h e m inis t1y ' s po sition l icab l e leg is lat i on shou l d o poi n ts out that he has shelter rel at ed the se e x p enses ar e not i nc l uded i n the 5( 2) o f s c hedu le A of the E A WPDR . ty assi stance is l imite d to th e assi stan ce ome det e rmined under s ch e du le 8. T h e o rt + $ 284. 9 0 actual she l ter co st minus $577. 8 4
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