Look, please don't throw things at me for asking this but has anyone any knowledge of the benefits system here???? I'm specifically looking at whatever Housing Benefit is (and what its called???). I'm very well aware of the UK system and how it works so I'm wondering if its the HRDC or Council (or someone else) who administers it.

The reason I ask is that I've just been to see an investment property which currently has a disabled lady living in it. Although born and bred in Swift Current, my realtor doesn't seem to know anything about housing in my area (surprise!).
Can anyone help or point me to any websites???

The lady you are trying to find this out for, should know how the system works ! Just to let would be expats know that you can't claim benefits here, if you haven't paid anything into it.

If you are sponsored here by a spouse, your spouse has to take care of all your needs for 3yrs, and if you are a parent or other family members sponsored by a child or relative here, they have to care for your needs for 5yrs, so it's worth thinking about before you do it.

Oh....yes the HRDC deals with the benefits, that is why SIN #s play a big role in everything here.

Erm...did I say I was trying to find this out for someone else??? Nor did I say I wanted to claim any benefits and for that matter I didn't mention that I was sponsered by anyone. That's why I said don't throw things at me....I'M not the one that wants to claim anything. What I want to do is find out how the damn system works here so that I don't unnecessarily upset a disabled potential tennant.

Many thanks for directing me to the HRDC.

My reply was to would be PRs, to give them a picture of the way things are here, so they don't go thinking they are eligible for some benefits whilst looking for work.

It's a pleasure, and you are welcome !

I think he was saying that the handicapped lady who is living in the property should know what benefits she can receive because she is probably receiving them right now.

Apart from the fact he seems to think I'm not a PR, I can see exactly why he said what he said. This is the problem anyone has on this site and others that a perfectly innocent question they get bashed. In Saskatoon there are a number of people who 'specialise' in housing for the less advantaged and they have made a great deal of money from it. I personally don't subscribe to giving people sub standard housing for any reason BUT before taking on anyone I want the facts from the horses mouth so to speak. In the UK I worked for 5 years for the Employment Service and it taught me a lot about the Housing Benefit system. In fact wadebridge council were increadibly helpful considering its the number one concern for most people in Cornwall claiming benefit. Whilst taking claims and interviewing folks, most people I met over that period lied to me in one way or another (Some small,some whoppers), I prefer to run my business on facts I have found out for myself from the proper administrators so that I don't manage to do something illegal or mess up my tax return. Ignorance is no excuse I understand, I just didn't know who to contact. Now I do.

Just read this thread. I suspect several of the folk reading this in Canada, although aware of the problems of house pricing in the UK, do not realise the impact on everyday lives. The avarage house is at least 5 times the average income, as cheaper areas have lower salaries. The market here is governed by property developers buying potential "first time buyer" residencies and subsequently letting them. Consequently even getting into a rented house is becoming competitive and rents on family homes are impossible without benefits.

For instance in Essex, where I live, a 4-bedroomed house (have 3 kids but luckily two working now) costs 2070CAD per month plus about 345CAD per month property tax. Given a salary of 690CAD per week (mid-range salary), it simply dosen't leave enough to afford to live. Consequently we have child tax beneifts and Housing Benefit, even when people are working full-time. It would make far more sense to have higher interest rates, which would bring the country in more money, rather than subsidising the rich land-owners who just keep getting richer as fewer and fewer people can buy their own house. But then we live in a land of free enterprise.....

The answer? If, like me, you'd rather work all the hours God sends than claim beneifts you're better off somewhere where your house won't cripple you. So I guess it isn't too surpirsing people come on here asking about Benefits in Canada. Remeber that the property market in the UK forces anybody who hadn't bought a house previous to the last 5 years to rely on Benefits to have a home and it is no longer the lazy uneducated populus who see this as a part of life.

Hope this helps people give more positive replies if anybody DOES come on here and ask....

You are so right! Perhaps a lot less on the Canadian forum but on some of the others it's amazing how an innocent question is asked and the judgements then begin.