The provincial Ministry of Social Services will again have clients who receive benefits by cheque pick up their payments at a local service centre. Social Services instituted the process last month due to the strike by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, and while the labour disruption is now over, they are opting to handle the payments in the same way due to potential mail backlogs.
Saskatchewan Income Support, Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability, Saskatchewan Housing Benefit, and Child and Family Programs payments to youth are the ones that will be distributed and will be available on December 27th. Here in Estevan, the local service centre is located at #200 - 1219 5th Street.
To pick up a cheque photo ID is required. If the person picking up the cheque is not the payee, a letter from the recipient and photo ID are required along with advance notification to the worker of the arrangement.
Last month, the Ministry of Social Services was asked how the distribution of benefit cheques was communicated to clients. At the time, they stated the information was relayed to clients and caregivers who needed to arrange daily payments, and those who receive monthly benefit cheques were being advised where possible.
The communication was also made available on the Ministry of Social Services website.