2.5 - Income Other Than Wages

Applicants, clients, and/or dependents must access all resources which may be available to them, including for example: insurance, Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Employment Insurance, Employees' Compensation, Student Aid, etc.

Applicants, clients, and/or dependents who are disabled or who are aged 60 years or more must apply for CPP benefits - see Awaiting Income other than EI.

All income must be confirmed with the appropriate documentation on file.

All income other than wages is normally calculated at the gross amount. Applicants who have, for example, Income Tax deductions being made from Canada Pension Plan benefits, should have that income calculated at the real net income amount for the first month. The client must be advised that it will be calculated at the gross amount from the second month on. By completing a Revenue Canada TD1 form, the client can ensure that the income tax will be deducted at the minimal rate based on household size and anticipated yearly income.

A deduction may be subtracted from the gross amount if the client is required to pay the deduction (i.e., an overpayment from Employment Insurance).

The following sources of regular income are not to be included in the calculation of available resources for applicants or clients, except for those receiving assistance under Section 4(4):

• Adult Child Contribution
• Assistance with Rental Costs subsidies
  
• Canada Child Benefit
• Canada Housing Benefit
• CPP Child Disability
• CPP Orphans Benefit
• QPP Child Pension
• Donations - Donations are tangible items of basic need such as food, clothing and household and personal articles that are provided to a client by family, friends or community agencies. The department would not consider donations as income regardless of the frequency in which they are received.
  
• Foster Home Payments
• GST Credit
• Subsidized Adoption Payment
• Child Support Payments
• The portion of money provided by the Minister of Training and Employment Development under the Training and Skills Development Program that is not intended to be spent for an item of basic need.
• Mental Health rent subsidies to clients
• Trust Funds (see Certified Blind, Deaf or Disabled Applicants/Clients)
• Canada Workers Benefit (CWB)
  
• Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) Income generated from a Registered Disability Saving Plan (RDSP) up to $800.  Special amounts over this monthly cap may be allowed where it supports a beneficiary to remain in the community or to purchase health related support items.
• CPP/QPP income exemption: The CPP/QPP income exemption exempts the first $200 of incomes earned from Canadian Pension Plan sources or Quebec Pension Plan, with the exception of CPP or QPP Child Disability and Orphan benefits, when calculating income. The CPP/QPP income exemption benefits are available to clients; but are not available to applicants. The CPP/QPP income exemption is applied to a case, not to a particular member and therefore apply to the combined total of CPP and QPP incomes in the unit.  Note: CPP/QPP Child Disability and Orphan amounts are exempt in full when calculating income assistance eligibility for both clients and applicants.

Some Lump Sum Payments and Assets such as those to HIV/AIDS infected hemophiliacs, thalidomide victims and their survivors; compensation payments to Japanese Canadians or victims of sexual abuse; while usually exempt, must be considered for those applying for assistance under Section 4(4).

Money given to a client as a result of fundraising events is not considered as income or asset to determine eligibility for basic assistance and need not be entered in NB Case.  This money is only considered to determine eligibility for special benefits.