Released on December 2, 2010
People with disabilities who are clients of the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) program and the Saskatchewan Assistance Program (SAP) will benefit from an increase to earnings exemptions, effective February 1, 2011. Inheritance exemptions for SAID clients are also being raised.
The government is allocating approximately $640,000 annually for increased supports.
"Increasing the exemptions on earned income and assets, such as property inheritances, recognizes the long-term nature of income replacement required by our clients with disabilities," Social Services Minister June Draude said. "This is just the latest in a series of multi-year initiatives that will respond to the recommendations of the 2009 Community-Government Task Team on Income Support for People with Disabilities."
Earnings exemption limits will increase by $100 per month for single persons with a disability, and by $125 per month for childless couples with disabilities. No increase is provided for clients with disabilities who have children, as these households have access to the Saskatchewan Employment Supplement, which provides benefits that already exceed those provided though earnings exemptions.
An estimated 540 people with disabilities will benefit from the earnings exemption increases. Inheritance exemptions for SAID clients are also being raised to $100,000 per household to reduce inconsistencies in the treatment of inheritance income.
"This increase to the inheritance exemption for the SAID program is very important and encouraging," SAID Implementation Advisory Team Chair Merv Bender said. "This is the first benefit increase for SAID clients, and moves the program toward the goal of building a socially acceptable level of income support above social assistance, as recommended by our Task Team."
In addition, the government has allocated one-time funding of $100,000 to finalize the research and development of a disability impact assessment tool that will be used to determine SAID eligibility. When this assessment mechanism is in place further enrolment may begin, and the SAID client base is expected to grow to approximately 8,000 to 10,000 people with disabilities.
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For more information, contact:
Brian Miller
Social Services
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0531
Email: brian.miller3@gov.sk.ca