Low-income residents of personal care homes are receiving a $25 boost in the monthly government allowance they receive to cover basic needs and costs beyond what the facilities provide.

Starting this month, the 9,000 Pennsylvanians who receive Supplemental Security Income while living in personal care homes will be given $85 a month instead of $60 to help with clothing, transportation, snacks and other expenditures of their choice, the state Department of Public Welfare recently decided. It is the first increase in the personal needs allowance since 1993.

The new money will come from a $37 per month increase for 2009 in what the federal government provides for SSI recipients housed in personal care. Personal care facilities are able to retain $12 of that amount to help with the additional cost of providing room and board, but the other $25 must be turned over to residents.

Advocates for personal care home residents such as the Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers Association had lobbied for the increase.