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Social Assistance Statistical Report: 2006
Chapter 15 - Nunavut
Income Support
In Nunavut, the territorial social assistance program is known as Income Support. The Social Assistance Act and the Social Assistance Regulations govern Nunavut's Income Support program.
The Income Support program provides basic and extended benefits to eligible heads of households and their dependants.
Service Delivery
The Department of Education is responsible for the delivery of the Income Support program within the territory.
Eligibility
General
In order to be eligible for the Income Support program, applicants must meet the general eligibility requirements outlined in the "Social Assistance Overview" in this report.
Assets
At the time of application, applicants' assets may not exceed the following allowable limits. Persons with disabilities are entitled to retain $5,000. Aged persons are also entitled to retain $5,000.
Earnings Exemptions
Once an application for assistance has been approved, Income Support clients are eligible for the following monthly exemptions on earned income:
| Clients without Disabilities | Clients with Disabilities | |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $200 | $200 |
| Family | $400 | $400 |
Benefits
Income Support consists of basic benefits and extended benefits. The basic benefits cover the cost of food, shelter, and utilities. The food allowance component of basic benefits may be used to purchase personal and/or household items. Maximum shelter allowance rates depend on the composition of the household: single-person or including dependants. The actual cost of fuel and utilities is paid.
An extended benefit is also available for persons with disabilities, seniors and applicants who participate in a program, such as employment, education/training or volunteering. The extended benefit provides allowances for clothing, furnishings, security deposits, emergencies and day care.
More Information
For more information, please consult Nunavut's Department of Education, website at: www.gov.nu.ca/education/eng/.
STATISTICS
Recipients and Cases
 |
||||||
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005b | 2006b | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Nunavut is still operating without an electronic case management information system, and therefore unable to provide detailed profile data. b. The number of recipients is the total recipients estimated during the year. Note: For 2005 and 2006, due to reporting changes, recipients are reported for the year rather than as a monthly average. |
||||||
| Recipients | 8,100 | 8,100 | 7,100 | 8,600 | 13,380 | 13,562 |
| Cases | 3,000 | 3,000 | 2,800 | 3,200 | 3,447 | 3,577 |