SOCIAL ASSISTANCE CHEQUES AVAILABLE FOR PICKUP STARTING TUESDAY

Due to postal disruptions, month-end social assistance cheques will be available for pickup at Social Services locations across the province starting Tuesday, June 28.

Even though Canada Post will resume service on Tuesday, social assistance clients who want their cheques before month end must pick them up.

The cheques available for pickup will include all Saskatchewan Assistance Program (SAP), Transitional Employment Allowance (TEA) and Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) benefit cheques.

Month-end Child and Family Services cheques, Saskatchewan Employment Supplement cheques and Saskatchewan Rental Housing Supplement cheques will not be available for pickup, but will be mailed later this week as usual.

Pickup locations for each community are listed in the attached backgrounder. Social assistance clients must bring photo ID or two forms of other identification.

To shorten potential lineups, Social Services encourages clients in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert, Moose Jaw and North Battleford to pick up their cheques on the following days:

• Last names beginning A to G - Tuesday, June 28 - 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Last names beginning H to P - Wednesday, June 29 - 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Last names beginning Q to Z - Thursday, June 30 - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Clients in other communities can pick up their cheques beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 28.

Media are asked to respect the privacy of social assistance recipients and not enter or film outside cheque pickup locations.

Any cheques which have not been picked up by end of day on June 30 will be mailed the following week. Social Services will resume using the postal service for all of its cheques to clients and service providers at the end of this week.

Landlords of social assistance clients are asked to be patient in cases where funds do not reach clients before month end. Ministry clients and service providers who still receive printed cheques are asked to consider switching to direct deposit to avoid these types of disruptions in future.

For the latest information about the ministry's plans for cheque pickup and distribution, please visit the Social Services website at http://www.socialservices.gov.sk.ca/, which is updated daily, or call 1-888-286-0399.

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For more information, contact:

Brian Miller
Social Services
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0531
Email: brian.miller3@gov.sk.ca