Income Assistance, officially Employment Support and Income Assistance (ESIA), helps Nova Scotians who can’t cover food, clothing and shelter on their own. The Department of Opportunities and Social Development runs it. Each month’s assistance is paid near the end of the month before, and Nova Scotia gives three possible delivery dates for each payment.
How much you’ll get
Most people get a Standard Household Rate that covers basic needs, including housing. The amount depends on how many adults and children are in your household and whether you rent or own, or board with someone. These are the monthly rates as of January 1, 2026:
| Household (monthly, from January 1, 2026) | Rent or own | Board |
|---|---|---|
| 1 adult, no children | $738 | $655 |
| 1 adult, 1 child | $1,035 | $674 |
| 1 adult, 2 or more children | $1,090 | $719 |
| 2 adults, no children | $1,442 | $1,085 |
| 2 adults, 1 or more children | $1,497 | $1,128 |
Two other rates apply in some situations:
- Enhanced rate, $1,022 a month (2026): for a single person living in a home who has a disability or a chronic condition that limits work, is 55 or older, is 16 to 18, or is fleeing abuse.
- Essentials rate, $410 a month per adult (2026): for people in a shelter, transition house or hospital, or with no fixed address.
Disability Supplement: if you have a disability, or a chronic condition that will keep you from working for at least a year, you can get an extra $324 a month (2026) as long as you rent, own or board.
Example: A single adult renting an apartment in Halifax with no income gets $738 a month in 2026. If that person has a long-term health condition that stops them working, the Disability Supplement brings it to $1,062.
Other help can be added for special needs, such as a special diet (up to $150 a month), transportation for work or health (up to $150), child care for work (up to $400), glasses ($120 single vision or $145 bifocal) and a school supplies payment of $100 or $200 per child.
Working, savings and other income
You can work and keep part of your pay each month:
| Monthly earnings | How much you keep |
|---|---|
| First $350 | All of it |
| $350.01 to $500 | 75% |
| $500.01 to $750 | 50% |
| Over $750 | 25% |
Example: You earn $600 in a month. You keep $350, plus $112.50 (75% of the next $150), plus $50 (half of the last $100). That’s $512.50 kept, and only $87.50 comes off your assistance. People who need continuous support to work keep all of the first $450 instead.
Many payments don’t count as income at all, including the Canada Child Benefit and Nova Scotia Child Benefit, child support, the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, the Canada Workers Benefit, the Poverty Reduction Credit, the Affordable Living Tax Credit, income tax refunds, heating assistance, RDSP withdrawals and the Canada Disability Benefit.
The asset limit is $2,000 for one person and $4,000 for a larger household. Your home (unless it’s worth more than twice the local average), a vehicle for basic transportation, work tools, an RESP, an RDSP and a prepaid funeral up to $5,000 aren’t counted.
Who qualifies
- You live in Nova Scotia.
- You’re 19 or older. People aged 16 to 18 can qualify in some cases, for example if home isn’t safe.
- You need financial help with basic needs.
- You’ve tried to find work or other income, unless that isn’t possible for you right now.
- Your assets are under the limits above.
How to apply
- Call 1-877-424-1177, or call or visit your local office.
- Have your papers ready: statements for all your bank accounts and your Social Insurance Number. You can fill out the Record and Register form ahead of time and bring it with you.
- Tell them if it’s an emergency. If you have no food, your power is being cut off, or you might lose your home, say so. Emergencies can be handled faster.
- Meet with your caseworker to complete an employability assessment and an action plan when the time is right for you.
Once you’re on assistance, you send in an income statement each month by the deadline, and you can do it online.
What changed in 2026
- Rates rose 1.6% in January 2026, after a 3.1% rise in 2025. Income Assistance rates are now tied to inflation each year.
- Updated regulations took effect on August 25, 2026. They list the rates in one schedule and name the Canada Disability Benefit as income that doesn’t count.
- The Canada Disability Benefit is up to $204.20 a month for July 2026 to June 2027.
Payment late, missing or different?
Nova Scotia lists three delivery dates for each month’s payment, and your direct deposit can come on any of them. The calendar at the top of this page shows the first of the three. If nothing has arrived by the end of the last of the three days:
- Check with your bank.
- Contact your caseworker, or call 1-877-424-1177.
- If you have no money for food or might lose your home, tell them it’s an emergency.
Mailed cheques can take longer. A payment can be smaller if you reported earnings, your income statement was late, your household changed, or an overpayment is being recovered.
Watch for scams. The department never charges a fee and never asks for gift cards or your banking password by text or email. If a message says your assistance is on hold, call 1-877-424-1177 yourself.
Other help you might be missing
- Poverty Reduction Credit: $125 in July, October, January and April ($500 a year) if you were on Income Assistance all of last year, had no children, had income under $16,000 and filed your taxes. It’s automatic.
- Canada Child Benefit: plus the Nova Scotia Child Benefit of $127.08 a month per child when family income is under $26,000 (July 2026 to June 2027). Neither reduces your assistance.
- Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit: file your taxes to get it and the Nova Scotia Affordable Living Tax Credit (up to $255 a year plus $60 per child).
- Canada Disability Benefit: for adults 18 to 64 with the Disability Tax Credit, and it doesn’t reduce Income Assistance.
- Guaranteed Income Supplement: if you’re 65 or older with low income, along with Old Age Security.
Common questions
When does income assistance come in Nova Scotia?
Near the end of the month before the month it’s for. Each payment has three possible delivery dates, and your deposit can land on any of them.
How much is income assistance for a single person in Nova Scotia?
In 2026, $738 a month if you rent or own, or $655 if you board. A single person with a disability, aged 55 or older, or fleeing abuse can get the enhanced rate of $1,022.
How much can I earn on income assistance in NS?
You keep the first $350 a month, then 75% of the next $150, 50% of the next $250, and 25% of anything over $750.
Does the Canada Disability Benefit reduce income assistance in Nova Scotia?
No. The regulations list the Canada Disability Benefit as income that isn’t counted, so it doesn’t reduce your assistance.