The Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation (MSDSI) has made a positive change to the regulations governing the Request for Reconsideration process. This change will start immediately. It will primarily impact people who have applied for the Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMB) benefit, the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) benefit and the Monthly Nutritional Supplement (MNS) who have had their Reconsideration decision delayed.

Here’s how this change will work.

Unless someone applies for an extension, the Ministry must make its decision about a Request for Reconsideration within 10 business days. Benefits for PPMB, PWD and the MNS start the month after the Ministry makes its decision.

Before, if the MSDSI took longer than 10 business days to make its reconsideration decision, people could lose a month’s benefits, depending upon the date the reconsideration decision was due. Now, when this happens people will not lose a month’s benefits.

This change to the Request for Reconsideration process is backdated to 2009. It means that the Ministry will begin issuing 1,272 people compensation payments by January 13th 2014. People do not need to apply for this compensation, payments will be made automatically. These payments will range from $10 – $2,000 depending on the case.

Here’s a link to the Ministry’s announcement about this change: http://tinyurl.com/nxhplge

If you have any questions, please email Robin Loxton at povpost@bccpd.bc.ca

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