After you apply – approved or denied

Congratulations! You have been approved to receive Income Support benefits. Once your application is approved, you will receive a payment by direct deposit, cheque, or Service Authorization. The financial support you receive could include:

• Monthly basic income support between $339 - $561 for a single adult with no dependents
• Fuel supplement from $71 - $132
• Cost of living allowance of $150 (Coastal Labrador only)

Other supplemental benefits you may receive

Once you are approved to receive Income Support Benefits, you may also be eligible for additional benefits such as:

• Health benefits such as the Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Health Program or the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program
• Special needs benefits such as child care and emergency assistance

To see if you are eligible to receive specific supplemental benefits, you should review their eligibility requirements.

To Keep Your Information Up-to-Date and Avoid Overpayments

While you are receiving Income Support benefits, you must ensure that your information is up-to-date so that you receive the appropriate financial support. You must report any changes that could influence the amount of financial support you receive, such as changes in your:

• Financial situation
• Family arrangement
• Living arrangement

If you do not update your information, you could receive more financial support than you are eligible to receive. This is called an overpayment. Overpayments are a debt that must be repaid.

Repaying an Overpayment

If you are still receiving Income Support benefits, the overpayment will be repaid by deducting 5% from your Income Support benefits each month until the total amount is repaid. If you are no longer receiving Income Support benefits, you will be contacted by the Accounts Receivable section of the Finance Division to make a payment arrangement.

If your application was denied and you disagree with a decision that was made, you can request to undergo the appeal process. There are two steps in this process: an internal review and an appeal.

Internal Review

To request an internal review, you should submit a formal request in writing. By requesting an internal review, you are asking for the decision you disagree with to be reviewed by an officer that has been appointed by the minister to perform internal reviews.

Once you submit the request, the decision you identified will be reassessed. You will then receive written notification of the decision that was made during the internal review. This written notification will include:

• The reasons for their decision
• A notice of your right to appeal to the appeal board
• The time you have to appeal to the appeal board
• The appeal procedure
• How an appeal can be conducted
• Your right to access your appeal file prior to the appeal

Appeal to the Appeal Board

At this point, if the issue was not resolved you can request to appeal the decision to the appeal board. You must make this request in writing within the time specified in your notice. The appeal board must give clear reasons for its decision, which will be provided to you in writing.

Choosing the best option if you are denied

Here are some common reasons that people are denied with advice on the next step to take: