REGINA— The Ministry of Social Services says it is simplifying the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disabilities (SAID) benefit structure.
Changes to regulations, effective April 1, will primarily simplify and clarify existing benefits, the ministry says.
According to the ministry, changes will:
- Combine highly specific policies and benefits into broader categories, which allows more flexible and timely responses to client needs;
- Add flat-rate benefits to replace some actual-cost benefits, which reduces client reporting requirements and speeds up access to supports;
- Modernize the program to remove benefits that are outdated, not currently being used by clients or being provided in other programs; and
- Ensure individuals in need are supported to transition onto SAID by raising the amount of money individuals can have in the bank to apply for the program by $500, from $1,500 to $2,000 per household member.
Social Services began reviewing SAID in 2025, with the goal of making the program easier for over 18,000 clients to navigate and simpler to understand, a release states.
The changes being implemented were developed using feedback from SAID clients and community-based organizations. The ministry will be contacting the small number of individuals who will be affected (about 100) to explain their benefits will not see a reduction after the implementation on April 1.
