5 Ways To Get Money From The Government Of BC To Help With Your Cost Of Living

If you are struggling with the cost of living in B.C. and are in need of some extra cash, there are a few ways that the Government of B.C. can help you out.

Whether it be extra money to put food on the table or some help with paying bills, these government programs could be super helpful.

Here are six different ways to get some financial help from the Government of B.C.

B.C. Family Benefit

People that have children under the age of 18 are eligible for the B.C. family benefit and will get a tax-free monthly payment of up to $1,600 per child each year.

Plus in January, February and March, an additional $58 per child will be added to the payment.

A child must be registered with the Canada child benefit to receive the payments. Once they are, no further steps are necessary.

Disability and Income Assistance

The Government of B.C. offers disability and income assistance to people with disabilities that need financial or health support.

The income assistance program is there to help people on the transition to finding work with monthly payments.

Eligible people include those who are out of work or not earning enough to meet basic needs, people who are waiting for other sources of money to arrive, people that can't work at all, and people that urgently need food, shelter or medical attention.

Healthy Kids Program

If your family is low-income, your child may be eligible for the Healthy Kids Program, which helps pay the costs of dental care, prescription eyewear and hearing care.

A family that has a net income under $42,000 a year and children under the age of 19 with a medical services plan will automatically be eligible.

Climate Action Tax Credit

The climate action tax credit will automatically be applied to your account if you are a B.C. resident that's 19 years of age or older, have a spouse or common-law partner, or are a parent who lives with a child.

This credit is meant to offset the impact of the carbon taxes paid by individuals or families. The payment amount will depend on the size of your family and your net income.

Automatic payments are issued four times a year in January, April, July, and October.

Shelter Aid For Elderly Renters

People that are 60 years of age or older that have lived in B.C. for more than 12 months and put 30% of their monthly household income towards rent for their home are eligible for this program.

Seniors that want to apply for Shelter Aid For Elderly Renters Program will need to fill out an application form and submit it online, in person or by mail.