Personal care allowances

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Learn when you may qualify for a personal care allowance and what happens if you need permanent care.

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If you need personal care (help with hygiene, dressing, mobility, feeding and/or supervision), you may be eligible for a personal care allowance from the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB).

The WCB provides personal care allowances to workers with temporary or permanent physical or cognitive needs because of a work injury. Personal care allowance is adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index.

If required, your customer care facilitator will refer you to a vocational rehabilitation specialist for a personal care assessment. The vocational rehabilitation specialist will recommend the level, duration and effective date of your personal care allowance based on:

  • your medical information on file
  • an in-person visit with you, when possible
  • feedback from your doctor, family members or the WCB’s medical officer, if necessary

The vocational rehabilitation specialist will review the amount of personal care allowance you receive from the WCB based on medical reports confirming your progress and recovery.

All decisions about your personal care allowance will be confirmed in writing.

Additional special care costs

Additional special care costs may be considered for serious or unique circumstances. If a family member is qualified to provide the care and your care provider has no objection to this, the WCB will acknowledge your family member as able to take care of your personal care needs.

If you are in the hospital

If you are in the hospital for more than 30 consecutive days, the WCB will suspend your personal care allowance. Your personal care allowance could resume after returning home.

Permanent need for personal care

If you need permanent care, the vocational rehabilitation specialist will ask a home care agency in your local health region to assess your needs. If a local agency cannot assess your needs, the specialist will ask an agency from another health region to do the assessment.

Payment for personal care

The WCB will pay your personal care allowance on a monthly basis to the individual or agency providing the care or to you, if there are multiple care providers. Home care agencies will bill the WCB directly.

If you receive care from a person who becomes unavailable, the vocational rehabilitation specialist will suspend your personal care allowance if you do not receive care for more than 30 consecutive days. Individuals providing care to you may take up to 30 days of vacation every year without an interruption to your personal care allowance.

Contact

Submit a form

Use the WCB's secure document transfer to submit a picture (JPEG) or PDF document or submit the files by email.