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You can apply for income support online. Step-by-step instructions are available. You can also apply by phone by calling 1.866.221.5200. Your nearest Social Services office can provide access to a computer or telephone and assistance if needed.
If you are a Status Indian living on a reserve, you must apply to your band office for assistance.
To receive income support, you must first apply for it. There are several things that you must include in your application. For your application to be successful, it is important to provide the necessary information. To apply, you must:
The residency requirement means that you are one of the following:
Some individuals, such as full-time post-secondary students and individuals who are in jail, are not eligible for SIS benefits.
You can apply before you are completely out of money. You can have as much as $1,500 on hand per person in the household when you apply for assistance. You can also have personal belongings (furniture, jewellery, electronics) and one vehicle per household.
Your application allows Social Services to check any information you provide. They can also share that information with other government ministries, when required. You have the right to have your information handled confidentially.
If you have a spouse or partner, you must include them in the application. Under the SIS program, a spouse or partner means any of the following, someone who:
In deciding if someone is your spouse, Social Services considers things like:
You must provide your Social Insurance Number (SIN) and your Saskatchewan Health Services Number (HSN). If you have a spouse or partner, they must also provide these numbers. You must also provide the HSN of any dependent children.
If you do not have a SIN or HSN, you will need to confirm that you have applied to get them. Benefits under the program will not be issued without this confirmation. An application for a SIN or HSN will only be sufficient for 30 days after your application. After that, you need to provide an actual SIN or HSN. If you are unable to provide these documents within this timeframe, contact Social Services.
You will need to provide information about your income. Income includes all money that you and your spouse or partner have received in the 30 days before your application. This includes earned income, benefit payments, pension income, support payments, loans, inheritances, and cash gifts or donations. You must provide documents to verify your income, such as:
If you have a child and are not receiving child support, you will be expected to try to get a child support order or enforce an existing order. The Maintenance Enforcement Office can enforce a support order or agreement. Information about this service is available by calling 306-787-8961.
Unless exempted, the net value of any assets owned by you or your spouse or partner is considered available income. You must provide documents for any property you own and money that you have on hand including:
Each person in the household can have up to $1,500 at the time of your application. Money that comes in after your application is submitted must be included as income when it is received.
Your primary residence is an exempt asset. This includes the home and the land or the home quarter if the home is a farm residence. All other real property is non-exempt.
Personal items and one vehicle per household are also generally exempt. You must convert the following to cash within 180 days of your application:
In the case of farmland, you have 24 months to convert it to cash. The market value of the assets you have will be considered for the purposes of determining eligibility.
If you are renting a place to live or are sharing accommodation, provide a copy of your rental agreement. If one is not available, provide a current receipt for rent.
Homeowners will need to provide a copy of the title to the property. If a copy of the title is not available, provide a copy of the current house insurance policy and a property tax notice in your name.
Once your application is received and you have provided all required documents, your application for assistance will be approved or denied. If your application is approved, you will be notified about the amount of your benefits and how the amounts were determined. You will also be told what is needed to remain eligible for benefits. If your application for benefits is denied, the decision will explain why.
You have the right to appeal a decision respecting your benefits. This may be because you believe your application was improperly denied or that you should receive more benefits. You must file your appeal within 15 days after receiving the decision.
The Regina Public Library and Saskatoon Public Library are hosting free Law Fair events during Saskatchewan Access to Justice Week to connect people with free legal information, assistance, and support. Attend to acquire legal knowledge and to broaden awareness of legal rights and responsibilities!