I have a friend, age , who has very limited income - just…

I have a friend, age 69, who has very limited income - just his old age pension and a disability pension. He lives very poorly, with just enough to get by for rent, food, and necessary expenses. He already has a hard time finding lodging in his price range that is safe and clean. Over 30 years ago, this man owned a business and was doing well. However, a number of unfortunate incidences led to bankruptcy, and he has led a very poor and simple life since. He still owes the government thousands of dollars in back taxes from this earlier life. For this reason he does not have a bank account, and takes his pensions by cheque in the mail each month.
However, he has received a notice that, starting in 2016, there will no longer be any cheques by mail, and he will have to open a bank account for direct deposit. He has explained to me that as soon as his pensions are put into a bank account, the government will confiscate (garnishee ?) the money in the bank, leaving him nothing to live on. He says they will do this for 2 years.
How is this fair??? A person cannot survive on nothing. He is a smart man who has looked into things on his own (no money for a lawyer, even here), and he says the government does not care if he starves. He believes there is nothing he can do.
What can my friend do to avoid being left penniless in 2016? If there are steps he can take, please explain them to me.