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When the transition for those on the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) to the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) is only days away, the changes continue to prove controversial, and confusing for most.
Currently over 80,000 people use the existing benefit program, and also receive the governments Canada Disability Benefits of 200$ a month. Alberta remains the only province to reduce monthly benefits based on the CDB.
When people transition to ADAP, if they also collect the CDB, they are entitled to $1,570 per month, which according to experts is more than $700 below the poverty line, as opposed to $500 below the line under existing benefits.
By now, most people will have gotten notice as to which program they will be under, but there is no appeal process for those who feel they have been mis-placed, their only option is to re-apply for AISH.
The province however, says their ADAP program offers more than other disability programs in the country, as a $700 dollar employment income exemption applies, meaning clients of ADAP can collect up to $700 before their benefits change.
“Employment income above $700 per month will be gradually deducted starting with less than a cent per dollar and increasing significantly approaching $45,000 employment income per year,” the province said.
According to AISH numbers, more than 80% of recipients currently do not have work, and in order to maintain the income they received under AISH, between 30 and 40 hours of minimum wage work is required, in a population with a very low employment rate.
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