After you apply – approved or denied

Congratulations! Your application for Income Assistance has been approved! You may now receive:

• A food allowance between $343 and $717 for a single person, depending on where you live
• If you have children, a Community Cost Adjustment. The amount will depend on where you live and how many children you have.
• Accommodation allowance up to the actual cost of your accommodations. This is often determined on a case-by-case basis.
• Room and board allowance in the amount of local rates
• Fuel allowance
• Utilities allowance (power, water, and sewer)

Other supplemental benefits you may receive

In addition to the basic benefits included in Income Assistance, you may qualify to receive specific enhanced benefits. This can include benefits such as:

• Clothing allowance
• Incidental allowance to assist with the costs of personal care products or household supplies
• Expenses for primary, secondary and post-secondary education and other training
• Furnishings allowance
• Security deposits for rent or utilities
• Emergency allowance
• Child care allowance
• Record suspension application fees

In addition to the enhanced benefits, the government of Northwest Territories offers a number of services for people with disabilities, including health-related services, justice programs, and information for seniors or youth with disabilities. To see the full list of services and how to access them, please see the GNWT Programs and services for Persons with Disabilities Inventory.

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

To continue to receive Income Assistance, you will need to complete a reporting form each month, which will inform your Client Services Officer of any changes that have occurred that could impact the amount of Income Assistance you receive. For example, if your employment status changes, you may be eligible for a different amount of financial assistance through Income Assistance. Additionally, you will need to complete a new application form every year or if your relationship status changes.

Your Client Services Officer will let you know which forms to complete and the date they need to be submitted.

If you do not report changes that impact the amount you receive for Income Assistance, you could receive more money that you are eligible to receive. This is called an overpayment. The money you receive in an overpayment will need to be paid back even if you are no longer receiving financial support from Income Assistance.

Repaying an Overpayment

If you are still receiving Income Assistance, the amount you owe will be paid by deducting a specific amount from your monthly Income Assistance. The minimum amount that can be deducted each month is $25, although you can have a greater amount deducted if you would like. If your overpayment was for a rent or utilities deposit, you will need to pay it back too.

If you are no longer receiving Income Assistance or you stop receiving Income Assistance before the amount you owe is paid back, you will need to make arrangements to pay back the overpayment. To make arrangements to pay back your overpayment, talk to your Client Services Officer.

If your application is denied, you have the option to the appeal the decision. Your Client Service Officer can help you with this process. You can also see below for more information about the appeal process.

Appealing to the Social Assistance Appeal Committee

Working with your Client Services Officer, you can submit an Application to Appeal for your Application for Income Assistance. The Registrar of Appeals, who is a senior officer who was appointed by the Minister, will respond to your appeal and schedule a hearing within two business days of when your appeal was submitted.

The appeal hearing will take place within 30 days of the day your appeal was submitted. You are welcome to bring information that could support your appeal or someone to speak on your behalf.

The decision about your appeal will be made by the Social Assistance Appeal Committee (SAAC). The SAAC will have 3 - 8 members that are selected by the Minister. The Appeal Committee will make a decision about your Application for Income Assistance within 10 business days from the day of the appeals hearing. This decision will be sent to you in writing.

If the SAAC decides that you should receive Income Assistance, you will begin receiving Income Assistance within 7 days.

Appealing to the Social Assistance Appeal Board

If you still do not agree with the decision the Appeal Committee makes, you can appeal the decision for a second time. While you are undergoing the appeal process, you will receive Income Assistance until a decision is made.

This time, a Social Assistance Appeal Board (SAAB) will hear your appeal. The SAAB will have a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, and at least three other members, which are appointed by the Minister. The SAAB will make a decision about your appeal within 45 days of when you submit your second appeal and within 10 business days of the second appeal hearing. This decision will be sent to you in writing.

If the SAAB decides that you should receive Income Assistance, you will begin receiving Income Assistance within 7 days.

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: