Petit, Gillian and Tedds, Lindsay M. (2020): Interactions between income and social support programs in B.C.
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Abstract
This paper examines the system of income and social supports available to B.C. residents and how programs interact with each other. We observe that programs can interact through “eligibility interactions” and “benefit interactions”; that is, one program can affect eligibility for another program and benefits from one program can affect benefits from another program. We look in depth at both the disability tax credit and provincial social assistance and how these programs act as “gateway programs” for other programs: access issues to these gateway programs can limit access to other programs. We also examine the interaction between provincial social assistance and the Rental Assistance Program, both which provide a housing supplement to low-income B.C. residents; however, receipt of one precludes the receipt of the other. For a person deciding between these programs, knowing which program makes a person better off is complicated. Finally, we look at how receipt of the Seniors Bus Pass affects the level of other tax-delivered benefits, and how receiving provincial social assistance benefits affects receipt of the Canada Workers Benefit: for both, the receipt of one benefit reduces the other benefit level raising the question of whether this was intentional. These interaction effects have implications for how reforms should be approached. Reforms to programs are often approached as reforms to individual programs; however, they should be approached with the entire system in mind.
Item Type: | MPRA Paper |
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Original Title: | Interactions between income and social support programs in B.C. |
Language: | English |
Keywords: | Income supports; social supports; eligibility interactions; benefit interactions; systems interactions |
Subjects: | H - Public Economics > H3 - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents > H31 - Household H - Public Economics > H3 - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents > H39 - Other I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I3 - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty > I38 - Government Policy ; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I3 - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty > I39 - Other |
Item ID: | 105927 |
Depositing User: | Lindsay Tedds |
Date Deposited: | 12 Feb 2021 07:11 |
Last Modified: | 12 Feb 2021 07:11 |
References: | BC Housing. (2019). Rental Assistance Program (RAP). Retrieved from https://www.bchousing.org/housing-assistance/rental-assistance/RAP CBC News. (2019, April 18, 2019). NDP MP calls out fed for issuing ‘unconscionable’ tax form for seniors’ bus pass. CBC News. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/ndp-mp-kwan-tax-form-seniors-bus-pass-1.5104890 Dunn, S., & Zwicker, J. (2018). Policy Brief – Why is uptake of the Disability Tax Credit low in Canada? Exploring possible barriers to access. The University of Calgary, School of Public Policy Publications: SPP Briefing Paper, 11(2). Government of British Columbia. (2020). BC Employment and Assistance Program. Retrieved from: https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/bc-employment-and-assistance-program Government of Canada. (2017). Canada Revenue Agency Disability Tax Credit. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/guide/federal-provincial/cra-credit.html Government of Canada. (2019). Canada Workers Benefit (Working Income Tax Benefit before 2019). Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/programs/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/federal-government-budgets/budget-2018-equality-growth-strong-middle-class/canada-workers-benefit.html Hertz, Sarah, Gray, Robin, & Leslie, Myles. (2020). User experiences of the system: A qualitative analysis of the access issues encountered by clients of the British Columbia social assistance system. Research paper commissioned by the Expert Panel on Basic Income, British Columbia. Mendelson, Michael, & Kesselman, Jonathan Rhys. (2020). Applying a Basic Income ‘Lens’ to British Columbia’s Demand-Side Housing Programs. Research paper commissioned by the Expert Panel on Basic Income, British Columbia MISWAA, Modernizing Income Security for Working-Age Adults. (2006). Time for a Fair Deal. Retrieved from https://www.civicaction.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/MISWAA-Report-Col-3-FINAL.pdf Petit, Gillian, & Tedds, Lindsay M. (2020a). Gender-based Analysis (GBA+) of the Current Transfer and Services Affecting BC Residents. Research paper commissioned by the Expert Panel on Basic Income, British Columbia. Petit, Gillian, & Tedds, Lindsay M. (2020b). Overview of the System of Income and Social Support Programs in British Columbia. Research paper commissioned by the Expert Panel on Basic Income, British Columbia. Petit, Gillian, & Tedds, Lindsay M. (2020c). Programs-Based Overview of Income and Social Support Programs for Working-Age Persons in British Columbia. Research paper commissioned by the Expert Panel on Basic Income, British Columbia. Smart, Michael, & Stabile, Mark. (2006). Tax support for the disabled in Canada: Economic principles and options for reform. Canadian Tax Journal, 54(2). Statistics Canada. (2019). Low income statistics by age, sex and economic family type, Table: 11-10-0135-01 (formerly CANSIM 206-0041). |
URI: | https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/id/eprint/105927 |