Assignment of Benefits

For people waiting to collect Employment Insurance

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When You are Waiting for Employment Insurance

When you apply for Employment Insurance benefits from the federal government, it may be several weeks before your first Employment Insurance cheque arrives. If you need assistance with rent, food and other basic living expenses during that time, you may qualify for hardship assistance from the Ministry of Housing and Social Development.

The Assignment of Benefits

When you apply for hardship assistance to carry you through until your Employment Insurance cheque arrives, you must sign an Assignment of Benefit form. By signing this form, you agree to allow the Ministry of Housing and Social Development to recover any payments made to you for the time period that will be paid for by Employment Insurance.

The ministry pays for the month ahead, while you are waiting for Employment Insurance, whereas Employment Insurance pays for time already gone by. This means you could be paid twice for the same time period, and this is why the hardship assistance must be paid back to the provincial government.

Hardship assistance is issued for only one month at a time and your eligibility must be re-established every month.

How is the Money Deducted?

The amount of hardship assistance you received from the ministry will be automatically deducted from your Employment Insurance benefits by the federal government. The attachment on your Employment Insurance cheque will show that the deduction has been made and will list the amount of the deduction. This money is then returned automatically to the ministry. The recovery amount is based on a formula agreed upon between the Ministry of Housing and Social Development and the federal government. The ministry does not have the ability to negotiate a change in amount to be repaid at a later date.

The assignment of benefits allows the federal government to reimburse the province for the payments you received while awaiting Employment Insurance benefits.

Ministry of Housing and Social Development Top-up

If the amount of money received from Employment Insurance is less than the amount set out in the BC Employment and Assistance legislation, you may be eligible for a "top-up" from the ministry. This type of assistance does not have to be repaid. A worker will be able to determine your eligibility for the top-up.

Questions and Answers

Can I have more than one assignment of benefits?

Each time you receive hardship assistance you must sign an Assignment of Benefit form.

You should discuss your needs with ministry staff. It is important to remember that the amount of hardship assistance you receive from the province will automatically be deducted from your federal Employment Insurance payment.

Is the same amount deducted each time?

No. The amount deducted weekly may vary depending on the weeks assigned and will change for payments after the assigned period is completed.

What happens if I do not qualify for Employment Insurance benefits for the period that I have received hardship assistance?

In this case, your assignment of benefits is cancelled and you may be eligible for regular assistance under the BC Employment and Assistance Program.

For More Information?

Contact the Ministry of Housing and Social Development by calling:

1 866 866-0800

For information about Employment Insurance benefits, and the calculation and processing of the assignment of benefits, contact your local Human Resource Centre of Canada. Information can also be accessed on-line at: www.hrsdc.gc.ca/.