Saskatchewan restructuring income assistance program for those with disabilities

Saskatchewan residents receiving income assistance for disabilities will soon see changes to their benefits.

The province says starting Sept. 1, the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability program will be restructured to make it easier for clients to access assistance.

Social Services Minister Terry Jenson says the province is moving benefits that deal with laundry and telephone services into one core living program.

He says the province is also consolidating the rate structure from four tiers into two.

Saskatchewan is also removing benefits that were underutilized, but Jenson says those at risk of receiving lower payments will have their benefits maintained.

Jenson says overall, the changes mean 40 per cent of recipients will receive higher monthly payments while the rest are to see no changes to their income.

“We’ve heard time and time again that the program is too complicated and we need to make it easier for clients to navigate and simpler to understand,” Jenson told a news conference Thursday.

The budget for the program will remain the same, he added.

“At the end of the day, not one single (Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability) client is going to see a reduction in benefits,” he said.

The minister said social services workers will speak directly with their clients about the changes and that a phone line will be set up if they have any questions.

More than 18,000 people in Saskatchewan are on the program.