Low-income Islanders will see comfort allowances increased June 1
Thousands of social assistant clients and subsidized residents in community or long-term care on P.E.I. will see their monthly comfort allowance rise on June 1.
The personal comfort allowance was increased in the 2017-18 provincial budget released earlier this month.
"The majority of our long-term care residents are subsidized, so this will have a broad impact for seniors across the province," Health and Wellness Minister Robert Henderson said in a statement.
$500K increase overall
The allowance rises from $120 a month to $140 a month for 700 social assistance clients and 550 subsidized residents in community care. For subsidized residents in long-term care, the allowance is increasing to $123 a month from $103 a month
Family and Human Services Minister Tina Mundy said in a statement that the government wants to ensure that low-income Islanders and seniors get help with their basic needs and items used for leisure or social purposes.
The total cost in the budget is half a million dollars: $300,000 for social assistance clients and subsidized residents in community care, $200,000 for residents in long-term care.
