Information for clients

If you are not yet receiving Income Assistance, visit the How to Apply page.

On this page:

• Payment dates
• How to get your payments
• Working while receiving Income Assistance
• How going to school affects Income Assistance
• Money from other sources

Payment dates

Income Assistance Payment Dates:

How to get your payments

Direct deposits will be made on the dates above. Visit the direct deposits page for more information on how to start direct deposits. If you get your cheque mailed to you, it may take longer to arrive.

If you have any questions, please contact your caseworker or call an office in your area.

Working while receiving Income Assistance

You can work while you are receiving Income Assistance.

Working and being part of your community can be really rewarding. To help make it easier to start a job or work more hours, your Income Assistance is reduced more slowly as you earn more money.

The Income Estimator shows how much you will take home if you work while on Income Assistance.

If for example, you receive $700 in Income Assistance per month and you earned:

• $350 in wages: you will take home $1,050 in total
• $500 in wages: you will take home $1,162.50 in total
• $750 in wages: you will take home $1,287.50 in total
• $1,000 in wages: you will take home $1,350.00 in total

How it works

Regular Employment

Supported Employment

Supported Employment involves a person whose physical, mental or cognitive abilities prevent them from working on their own without ongoing support.

If you are not sure which type of employment applies to you, contact your caseworker or call 1-877-424-1177.

Training Allowances

When you receive Income Assistance and take part in an employment-related training program that provides an allowance, you will keep the first $350 per month of that allowance in your assistance. Your caseworker can help with any employment-related special needs assistance you need to participate in the training program.

Learn more about training and employment supports.

To do

• Let your caseworker know if you get a new job or become self-employed
• Report your net monthly earnings on your income statement and submit it by the deadline each month

We can help

• We can help you get a job if you don't have one
• You can keep receiving your Income Assistance while you start working or increase your work hours
• To help with the transition into working (or working more), we offer lower Income Assistance reductions as you earn more
• We can help with work-related needs like uniforms, transportation, childcare or related fees such as a driver's licence or criminal background check
• As long as you receive Income Assistance you will continue to receive pharmacare benefits
• You may still receive pharmacare benefits for up to 12 months if you stop being a client because of wages or other earned income. You will need to confirm that your employer does not offer a drug plan

Learn more

• Try the online Employment Income Estimator to estimate how much money you will take home
• Contact your caseworker or call or visit an office in your area. Your caseworker can answer questions about your earnings and income assistance, as well as any employment supports available

Download a brochure you can print about working while on Income Assistance (PDF).

How going to school affects Income Assistance

You may be able to receive Income Assistance while attending school under one of the following circumstances:

• you are getting your grade 12 and going to an upgrading program
• you are taking training programs to give you the skills you need for the kind of work you want to do
• you are attending a post-secondary program that lasts two years or fewer
• you are attending a post-secondary program that lasts more than two years and you are a member of the Career Seek program

In order to be eligible for Income Assistance while attending school, you and your caseworker must have agreed to a plan that includes additional education or training.

Make sure that you speak to your caseworker before you decide to attend school to ask about your continuing eligibility for Income Assistance. You may also have to apply for a student loan if the program that you want to take is eligible for student loans. Your caseworker can help you with your applications.

Next steps

Please contact your caseworker to determine eligibility.

If you are not yet an Income Assistance client, visit the How to Apply page.

Money from other sources

To get Income Assistance, you must tell us about any money you have. While receiving Income Assistance, you must also tell us about any other money you receive.

Some types of income are considered to be chargeable and get deducted from your assistance. Other types of income are exempt and do not affect the amount of assistance you receive.

Some examples of income that are chargeable include:

• Canada Pension Plan benefits
• Workers’ Compensation
• Employment Insurance
• insurance settlements
• spousal support payments
• income from employment
• inheritance

Some examples of non-chargeable income that will not affect your assistance are:

• Canada Child Benefit
• Nova Scotia Child Benefit
• Federal Child Disability Credit
• Child support payments
• Poverty Reduction Credit
• Goods and Services Tax Credit (GST)

Learn more

To learn more, contact your caseworker or call an office in your area.