The Yukon government is looking at boosting social assistance rates for some but not all of the people on welfare.

After talking to the Anti-Poverty Coalition about it on Tuesday night, Health and Social Services Minister Peter Jenkins said the government will begin consultation on the subject. Officials will look at possible increases for individuals with disabilities, single parents and couples with at least one child.

'We're examining where we can place more money for the good of Yukoners who have to fall back on our social safety net,' Jenkins told the legislature Wednesday.

Since there are still discussions to be held on the possible increases, Jenkins doesn't know for sure how much will be increased. But he suggested people with disabilities could see a raise of $125 a month to $1,260 a month.

However, not every category will get a boost. Single people who don't fall into the other groups will not receive more for social assistance.

Jenkins denied his government is looking at cutting rates for single individuals. However, he added it's looking at ways to deal with individuals, mostly single men under 40, who come into the Yukon in the summer, collect social assistance and leave at summer's end.

Jenkins said 77 per cent of the total social assistance handed out last summer went to single males under 40.

Department spokeswoman Pat Living could not confirm that number today.

NDP Leader Todd Hardy doesn't like Jenkins' method of splitting up social assistance recipients into classes, although he is pleased at least some groups will see an increase.

He believes Jenkins is pitting one group of recipients against another.

'I have a problem when you target certain categories or people,' said Hardy.

The NDP leader feels Jenkins dislikes this specific group of single individuals and is targeting them in the review.

Hardy is also worried Jenkins prefers what happens in British Columbia, where single individuals receive close to half of what they get in the Yukon.

According to government documents for 2002, the rate for single individuals in the Yukon was $12,145 a year. It was $6,251 in B.C.

The Yukon rate in this group was the highest in Canada. The lowest was $3,138 a year in Newfoundland and Labrador.

For those with disabilities, the rate was $13,645 in the Yukon the second-highest in Canada behind the N.W.T. The lowest rate was $6,696 in New Brunswick.

For a single parent with one child, the rate in the Yukon was $16,664 a year, third-highest in Canada behind the two other territories. The lowest rate was $8,565 a year in Alberta.

For a couple with two children, the rate was $22,246 a year, the third-highest behind the other two territories. The lowest rate was $11,328 in New Brunswick.