These related supports are not access to benefits services, but connection to these supports may help remove barriers that could hinder a person from accessing their eligible benefits.
These are the kinds of support services you may need to refer a client to when working with them on tax filing or accessing benefits.
To find organizations that offer these supports, visit 2-1-1.
There are also Other ways to support around benefits which include things like moral support, legal support and language support.
Financial coaching and counselling empower people to increase their financial management skills, their confidence, as well as their knowledge of financial products, services and resources. Benefits access can be a part of coaching and counselling. Clients who access new income due to benefits access also benefit from financial coaching or counselling.
Find a financial coach using the Benefits Wayfinder Help section.
There are many free financial literacy resources available to share with community members around taxes and money management including:
For more resources from Prosper Canada, visit the Learning Hub.
Access to housing is connected to income benefits as a critical part of a person’s financial stability. Having a safe place to stay can sometimes be a prerequisite to a client being ready to explore applying for benefits.
Check out the Benefits Wayfinder for benefits related to Housing Support.
People in crisis are often not ready to explore conversations about benefits access, because they need immediate and urgent support. Crisis management is critical to build the stability needed to support clients with benefits access.
Some provinces also offer benefits to support people experiencing a crisis, which you can find by visiting the Emergency Money Need Starting Point on the Benefits Wayfinder.
People who have financial challenges may also be experiencing a variety of other needs that can be helped through psychosocial support. For example, a conversation about benefits access may reveal signs of familial abuse or mental health struggles, making a referral to these kinds of supports critical.
Check out 2-1-1 for supports in your region or visit Mental health support: get help - Canada.ca.
Food security and income security are intimately connected. While raising incomes through benefits access can help someone’s long-term food security, access to healthy and nutritious food is also a critical way to support people living on low or no incomes.
Find a foodbank near you: Find a Food Bank - Food Banks Canada.
There are a variety of supports that are helpful to newcomers to Canada. While accessing benefits is a part of these supports, so are things like connecting with healthcare supports, help understanding Canadian systems such as schools and financial systems, and many other forms of support.
Find a settlement service near you: Newcomer services - Canada.ca.
Employment is a critical avenue for increasing incomes for many people, and many people living on low incomes who would benefit from benefits access also benefit from employment and training supports.
Find an employment centre near you: Find an employment centre in Canada - Job Bank.
Health care supports are related to benefits access because they are part of meeting a person’s overall health and safety needs.
You can find health care resources for your province or territory using 2-1.1.
Beyond direct supports to clients, many organizations also engage in the important work of capacity building. This training and mentoring enable other organizations to acquire and build the knowledge and expertise essential to this work.
Visit the Benefits Wayfinder Help function to find agencies that provide access to benefits services. They may be willing to share their knowledge with you!
Discretionary benefits refer to any type of benefits that are not legally required to be provided. This umbrella term includes extended care benefits like dental and vision reimbursement to perks like wellness programs and childcare stipends. For employed individuals, employers may offer these benefits as part of their compensation package. For individuals receiving social assistance, discretionary benefits may include things like vocational training or housing-related benefits and must be applied for.
Here are some examples of discretionary benefits offered by provincial and regional social assistance programs.
There are a variety of supports that are helpful to newcomers to Canada. While accessing benefits is a part of these supports, so are things like connecting with healthcare supports, help understanding Canadian systems such as schools and financial institutions, and many other forms of support.
Find a settlement service near you: Newcomer services - Canada.ca.
Helping people to access technology may enable individuals and families to access the information they need to learn about benefits or complete online applications. There may be programs that you can help people to take advantage of.
Here are a few examples:
People who have or are experiencing homelessness, incarceration or may have lost their identification and do not have the necessary documentation to process the application to apply for new ID, will likely require support navigating this process. They will need someone to attest to who they are.
For more information on these topics, you can also view the support card.
There are other ways you can support your clients as they access benefits services, including providing moral support, problem solving or making appropriate referrals to other organizations