Term: Living in a Family Receiving Income Assistance (AI)

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Glossary Definition

Last Updated: 2020-07-30

Definition:

This term relates specifically to children who live in a family that is receiving income assistance.

Income Assistance (IA) is a provincial program for people who need help to meet basic personal and family needs. Wherever possible, the program is aimed at helping people find a job or get back to work. Eligibility for income assistance is determined by a test of need. The total financial resources of the household are compared to the total cost of basic necessities as defined in the Employment and Income Assistance Act and Regulation. Applicants must be in financial need for the monthly cost of basic needs such as food, clothing, personal needs and household supplies; some medical costs; housing (rent) and utilities; and some special costs for adults with disabilities.

In Chartier et al. (2016), this term is referred to as "Living in a Family on Income Assistance".

In Chartier et al. (2016), this indicator is defined as the percentage of children aged 0-19 living in families receiving IA. In Chartier et al. (2020), this indicator is defined as the percentage of children (age 0-17) living in a family receiving income assistance.

For more information about identifying families and children within a family, see the Family Structure, Registry glossary term.

Related concepts 

• Employment and Income Assistance (EIA)
• Poverty

Related terms 

• Employment and Income Assistance (EIA) Data
• Employment and Income Assistance (EIA) Program
• Family Receiving Provincial Income Assistance (IA)
• Family Structure, Registry
• Income Assistance (IA)
• Receipt of Income Assistance
• Young Adult on Income Assistance

References 

• Chartier M, Brownell M, Star L, Murdock N, Campbell R, Phillips-Beck W, Meade C, Au W, Schultz J, Bowes JM, Cochrane B. Our Children, Our Future: The Health and Well-being of First Nations Children in Manitoba. Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2020. [Report] [Summary] [Updates and Errata] [Additional Materials] (View)

Term used in 

• Chartier M, Brownell M, MacWilliam L, Valdivia J, Nie Y, Ekuma O, Burchill C, Hu M, Rajotte L, Kulbaba C. The Mental Health of Manitoba's Children. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2016. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)