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Eligibility

Age requirement

To be eligible to receive Income Support benefits you must be at least 18 years of age.

Financial requirements

To determine if you are eligible to receive Income Support benefits, you will be required to report all forms of income and assets you have.

Income

Income is divided into three categories: non-exempt income, exempt income, and partially exempt income. You are required to report all forms of income you receive, regardless of whether they influence your eligibility for Income Support benefits. If your total non-exempt income is less than the costs of your basic living expenses, you may qualify for Income Support benefits.

Non-Exempt Income

Some types of income will be counted towards your total income when determining if you are eligible to receive Income Support benefits. This type of income is called non-exempt income.

Some examples of non-exempt income include:

  • Payments under the Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
  • Employment Insurance (EI) benefits
  • Pensions to the applicant or their dependents
  • Income from a support trust by a person requiring supportive services

Exempt Income

Some sources of income you receive will not count towards your total income when determining if you are eligible to receive Income Support benefits. This means you can receive this type of income in addition to the financial support you receive through Income Support benefits. This type of income is called exempt income.

Some examples of exempt income include:

  • The Canada Child Benefit
  • Income Tax Refunds
  • Disability Tax Credit and the Child Disability Tax Credit
  • Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP)

Partially Exempt Income

Some sources of income will be partially counted towards your total income when determining if you are eligible to receive Income Support Benefits. This type of income is called partially exempt income. For a single person:

  • You will be able to keep the first $75 of income from partially exempt sources without it being counted towards your total income
  • You will be able to keep 20% of any partially exempt income above $75 without it being counted towards your total income
  • The other 80% of any partially exempt income above $75 will be counted towards your total income

Some examples of partially exempt income include:

  • Salary and wages, including income from self employment
  • Winnings from games of chance or a lottery
  • Board and lodging income assessed based on 20% of the receipts of board and lodging income from a boarder who is not a relative
  • Scholarships or bursaries

Assets

You will be required to report all types of assets you own to determine if you are eligible to receive Income Support benefits, including any liquid assets you own. Liquid assets include cash or readily available investments you own, but do not include some specific assets such as:

  • Funds help in a trust for a prepaid funeral by a funeral home
  • A Registered Education Savings Plan
  • A Registered Retirement Savings Plan
  • Funds in a support trust that are not greater than $100,000

If you are a single person without dependents, you can have up to $3,000 in liquid assets and still be eligible to receive Income Support benefits.

Introduction How to apply

What province are you from?

Knowing your province helps us make this tool the best experience for you.

Important information about benefits for Indigenous Peoples

If you are Indigenous there are many things that affect the benefits you can get and the dollar amounts you can get from them. These include the agreements your band or governing body has with provincial, territorial, and federal governments. Before applying to any benefits, you should speak with your governing body, if applicable.

AFOA Canada and Prosper Canada are currently seeking funding to develop an online tool that serves the needs of Indigenous people living in Canada.