How to Apply for Alberta Income Support
Apply for Alberta Income Support online with an Alberta.ca account — the documents to gather, the steps to submit, the current core-benefit amounts, and the 24-hour emergency route.
How to Apply for Income Support in Newfoundland and Labrador
Apply for Income Support in Newfoundland and Labrador by calling 1-877-729-7888 or by mailing the paper application — the routes, documents, published benefit rates, and the 30-day decision timeline.
Applies in: Newfoundland and Labrador
The short answer
Call 1-877-729-7888 — that is the quickest way to apply. Income Support in Newfoundland and Labrador is the province's last-resort income program, run by the Department of Social Supports and Well-Being. It provides financial benefits and other services to low-income people to help meet daily living expenses. A Client Services Officer takes your application over the telephone, then sends you the forms to sign and return with your documents. You can also apply on paper by mail or fax. Your application is valid for 30 days, and the department's published decision timeline runs about 30 days from start to payment.
This guide covers process only. It gives no eligibility advice beyond what the department publishes, and it carries only the benefit amounts the department publishes on its program overview page.
Who can apply
The department publishes four conditions. To qualify for Income Support, a person must:
- Be 18 years of age.
- Be a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Submit an application for benefits.
- Be determined eligible according to a financial assessment.
Income Support is treated as the last possible option for income. If there is potential income from another source — for example, Employment Insurance or the Canada Pension Plan — you must first take that income before applying. Income and liquid assets are considered when eligibility is determined. The program is governed by the Income and Employment Support Act and Regulations.
What the program pays for
Income Support benefits are split into basic and non-basic benefits. Basic benefits are the Family and Individual Benefit, which helps with food, clothing, personal care, household maintenance, and utilities, and shelter, which covers rent and mortgage. Non-basic benefits depend on your personal circumstances and include municipal tax payments, eye exams and prescription glasses, private childcare related to employment or training, and expenses for burials.
You may also receive benefits and services from other government departments and agencies, with financial eligibility determined by the Income Support Program. Examples the department names are a Prescription Drug Card through the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program, medical supplies and medical equipment through the Special Assistance Program of the Department of Health and Community Services, and medical transportation through the Department of Labrador Affairs. If you need drug card coverage only, you can apply for programs under the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program directly.
Route 1: apply by telephone
This is the route the department calls the quickest way to apply. Call the toll-free number 1-877-729-7888. A Client Services Officer will gather the information required to complete the telephone application and a preliminary eligibility assessment, including your date of birth, Social Insurance Number, family composition, living arrangements, income, and financial assets.
If there appears to be eligibility, the telephone application, a direct deposit form, and the Rights, Responsibilities and Client Consent form will be sent to you by mail or fax, or printed at a departmental office for pick-up. You will also be given a checklist identifying what additional information is required, such as banking information, rental receipts, and confirmation of income.
Return the completed and signed application form, along with all other required information, by either:
- Mailing it to: Department of Social Supports and Well-Being, Document Processing Unit, P.O. Box 8790, St. John's, NL A1B 5E4.
- Faxing it to 709-729-2641.
For general inquiries, call the toll-free number 1-877-729-7888 or email incomesupport@gov.nl.ca.
Route 2: apply on paper by mail or fax
You also have the option of applying by mail by completing two forms: the Income Support Application and the Rights, Responsibilities and Client Consent Form. You and your spouse, if applicable, must complete and sign these forms. Read the consent form carefully: your signature allows the department to contact other agencies in order to verify information.
Sign and return the forms along with any requested documents to the Document Processing Unit at the address above, or fax them to 709-729-2641. The department's paper-application information states that your date of application will be the date the department receives your forms, so a mailed application starts later than a telephone one.
Your application is valid for 30 days. If the required documents are not provided within that time, you may have to complete a new application. You will be advised if further information is required.
What happens after you apply
The department publishes a decision-making process that runs about 30 days:
- Days 1–11, application. The application is completed by telephone and the information is registered with the department. The telephone application and other required documentation are forwarded to you to be completed, signed, and returned with all requested information. Departmental staff review the application and documents, and may contact you to request additional or missing information. When all required information is received, the application is assessed.
- Days 11–29, assessment. The application is reviewed internally and assessed for eligibility and appropriate benefit amounts. The assessment may include credit checks, contacting employers and landlords, and a telephone discussion with you. Based on the outcome, a decision is made on eligibility and benefit amounts.
- Days 29–30, approval. When an application is approved, payment by direct deposit, cheque, or Service Authorization is sent to you. When an application is not approved, a letter of notification is provided, including information on how to appeal the decision.
How much money you will receive
The department publishes monthly basic rates on its program overview page. The amount you receive is determined by a variety of factors, including your family income and other family resources, the number of adults and children in your family, your living arrangements, the types of benefits you may need, and employment-related expenses such as transportation and childcare.
Monthly basic benefit rates, as published:
- Single adult: $561.
- Couple without dependent children: $1,122.
- Single parent with dependent children: $729.
- Couple with dependent children: $1,122.
These amounts apply to both board-and-lodging and maintaining-a-household situations, and they do not include amounts for shelter, the fuel allowance, or any special needs.
Other monthly basic rates, as published:
- Rent or mortgage, up to $522 for a single person living alone, $299 for a single person with a roommate, and $598 for a couple.
- Fuel supplement: $71 on the island, $132 in Labrador.
- Cost of living allowance (coastal Labrador only): $150.
When and how benefits are paid
Your application will normally only be assessed when you and your spouse, if applicable, submit a signed, completed application including all required documentation. Your benefits will generally be issued twice a month, although this may vary according to your individual circumstances. You will receive your benefits by direct deposit. A mail option may be available in exceptional circumstances.
What income you must report
You must report all sources of income for you, your spouse, and your dependent children. You must advise the department if you have applied for any type of benefit, for example the Canada Pension Plan, any type of insurance settlement claim, or Employment Insurance.
If you are working
If your net income is less than your basic living requirements, you may be eligible for benefits while you are working. This is assessed when you apply. Many expenses, such as transportation and childcare, are considered in assessing your eligibility. The department also applies earnings exemptions to your financial assessment, which reduces the amount of income deducted when determining your eligibility.
If you are no longer eligible for Income Support benefits because of an increase in your employment earnings, you and your family will continue to receive your drug card for 12 months under the Extended Drug Card Program. This card covers the full cost of approved prescription drugs and dispensing fees.
What the opened pages do not state
The department's pages do not publish a per-child amount for dependent children beyond the household-category rates above, and they do not publish a rent or mortgage cap for single parents or couples with dependent children — only the three figures listed under "Other monthly basic rates." They also do not publish dollar figures for the non-basic benefits, such as municipal tax payments, eye exams and glasses, private childcare, or burial expenses. This guide carries no figures for those items because the opened pages do not state them. Check the department's current program overview page before relying on any amount.
Related guides
Applying for Income Support in Newfoundland and Labrador, in five steps
- Call 1-877-729-7888A Client Services Officer takes your telephone application and does a preliminary eligibility assessment.
- Sign and return the formsThe application, direct deposit form, and Rights, Responsibilities and Client Consent form are sent to you; return them signed with the documents asked for.
- Finish within 30 daysYour application is valid for 30 days. If the required documents are not provided within that time, you may have to complete a new application.
- Wait for the assessmentThe department assesses eligibility and benefit amounts over about 30 days, and may contact employers and landlords.
- Get paid by direct depositApproved benefits are generally issued twice a month by direct deposit.
Questions people ask
What is the quickest way to apply for Income Support in Newfoundland and Labrador?
By telephone. Call the toll-free number 1-877-729-7888 and a Client Services Officer will gather the information needed to complete the telephone application and do a preliminary eligibility assessment. The department states this is the quickest way to apply. You can also apply on paper by mail or fax, but the date of application is then the date the department receives your forms.
What information do I need for the telephone application?
The Client Services Officer will ask for your date of birth, Social Insurance Number, family composition, living arrangements, income, and financial assets. After the call, you will be sent a checklist of additional information required, such as banking information, rental receipts, and confirmation of income. Have those ready so the application can be completed within its 30-day validity period.
How much Income Support will I receive each month?
The published monthly basic rates are $561 for a single adult, $1,122 for a couple without dependent children, $729 for a single parent with dependent children, and $1,122 for a couple with dependent children. These amounts do not include shelter, the fuel allowance, or special needs. Rent or mortgage support is up to $522 for a single person living alone, $299 for a single person with a roommate, and $598 for a couple. The fuel supplement is $71 on the island and $132 in Labrador, and the cost of living allowance for coastal Labrador only is $150. The amount you actually receive depends on your family income and resources, household size, living arrangements, and the benefits you need.
How long does an Income Support application take in Newfoundland and Labrador?
The department's published service standard runs about 30 days. Days 1 to 11 cover completing the telephone application and returning the signed forms and documents. Days 11 to 29 cover the internal assessment, which may include credit checks and contacting employers and landlords. On days 29 to 30, an approved application is paid, and a refused application gets a letter explaining how to appeal.
Can I receive Income Support while I am working?
Yes, if your net income is less than your basic living requirements. The department assesses this when you apply, and it takes expenses such as transportation and childcare into account. Earnings exemptions are also applied to your financial assessment, which reduces the amount of income deducted when eligibility is worked out. If you stop being eligible because your employment earnings rise, you and your family keep your drug card for 12 months under the Extended Drug Card Program.
What income do I have to report when I apply?
You must report all sources of income for yourself, your spouse, and your dependent children. You must also tell the department if you have applied for any other type of benefit, such as the Canada Pension Plan, an insurance settlement claim, or Employment Insurance. Income Support is treated as the last possible option for income, so if there is potential income from another source, you must first take that income before applying.
Sources
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Program Overview — Income Support — who may qualify, basic and non-basic benefits, the published monthly basic rates and other monthly basic rates, payment timing, income reporting, and working while on Income Support.
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Applying for Income Support — the telephone application route, the paper application route, the mailing address and fax number, the 30-day application validity, and the day-by-day decision-making process.