By Kendall Worth!
I am writing this post on Easter weekend. About 28 to 30 days from now, people on Income Assistance, in Nova Scotia, are going to know for sure whether or not they will receive the one time $150.00, or, for those deemed to be disabled, the full monthly $300.00, as I wrote about here.
However, a few income assistance recipients, who believe that they will be eligible, feel sad that the payment will not arrive until the end of April. Having that $300.00 on Easter weekend as this points out would have made a difference for some IA Recipients.
The following is more good news!
On the 27th of March 2024 this announcement was released by the Nova Scotia government. It says, that, starting July 2024, the Income Assistance rates in Nova Scotia are going to be indexed to inflation. However, when you look at this news release, especially for those NOT receiving the $300 increase; I say -- do not get too excited about July's increase.
Why?
The reason I say do not get too excited about the upcoming indexing is because of the result, when you do the math. They are indexing by increasing the rate 2.5%.
The following calculations illustrate why I say: do not get too excited!
2.5% of $950.00 = $23.75 increase per month.
2.5% of 1250.00 which is what those who will qualify for the $300.00 increase will receive starting the end of April = $31.25 a month.
We are living in times where we continue to be forced to spend more on groceries because prices remain out of control expensive, and out of control inflation is going no where. Nova Scotia Power has increased it’s rates (about to increase, if, that is, a rate increase hasn't all ready happened) These increases are going to do next to nothing to stop social isolation. It is not expected that these increases are going to cancel out the need for places like Souls Harbour, Hope Cottage, or as I talked about in this post, the Saint Andrews Sunday Supper.
What we really need is an increase in rates, that provides enough money to improve people’s feelings of non clinical anxiety and depression. $2000 a month was provided with CERB, during it’s short lived time. The federal government providing $2000 a month? I say: Let’s do it again!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kendall Worth is an award-winning anti-poverty activist who lives with disabilities and tries to make ends meet on income assistance.
You are absolutely right, Kendall. The basic social assistance MUST be increased to at least $2000 a month, and the cost of living increase be added to that every year.
ReplyDelete