People experiencing housing insecurity and the CRA
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) offers financial support through benefits, credits, and programs.
If you don’t have access to safe or appropriate housing, it can be hard to do your taxes in order to get the benefit and credit payments you’re entitled to. The CRA can help through its programs that support those facing housing insecurity.
Support when facing an abusive situation or financial hardship
Leaving an abusive or violent situation?
Get benefit and credit payments without putting yourself or your family in danger. For more information, go to Getting your tax benefits and credits when in an abusive or violent situation.
Facing financial hardship?
Set up an arrangement to pay a debt owed to the CRA over time, delay a payment to a later date, and ensure that you receive payments you are entitled to. To find out how, go to Support from the CRA during financial hardship.
Without a stable address?
Keep your personal information up to date: changes to your address, marital status, or bank account can affect your payments. If you don’t have a permanent home, you can use a temporary address, such as a shelter, to continue receiving your payments and mail.
At the beginning of the calendar year, you should receive tax slips with the information you need to do your taxes. If they are missing, get them online in My Account or call us. If you’re staying at a shelter or with a friend, you can use their address.
Get and protect your social insurance number (SIN) or temporary tax number (TTN)
A SIN is a nine‑digit identification number that is unique, personal and confidential.
You need a SIN to:
- get benefit and credit payments
- work in Canada
- open most types of bank accounts
It’s important to protect your SIN. If a SIN is stolen or misused, it can lead to identity theft or loss of government benefits or tax refunds.
Apply for a SIN with Service Canada.
If Service Canada can not issue you a SIN, you may get a temporary tax number (TTN) from CRA
A TTN can be used to get benefit and credit payments, do your taxes, and sign up for a CRA account.
How to get a TTN:
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Complete your benefit or credit application or tax return without a SIN. Attach a letter explaining why you do not have a SIN or can't get one.
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To get a TTN more quickly, you may also include certified copies of documents that prove your identity, such as:
- a passport
- a driver's licence
- a birth certificate or proof of birth
- an immigration document showing that your spouse is sponsoring you (if your spouse has a SIN and is sponsoring you)
- a letter from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada that says they are reviewing your file
In most cases, the CRA automatically considers you for benefit and credit payments when you do your taxes. However, you may need to apply and be approved for some payments.
Even if you do not owe tax, are tax-exempt, or have no income to report, you should do your taxes every year to avoid missing out on benefit and credit payments and tax refunds. The information from your tax return is used to calculate payments.
You and your spouse or partner, if applicable, have until April 30 each year to do your taxes. If you or your spouse are self-employed, the deadline to do your taxes is June 15.
If you live in Quebec, you also need to file a provincial tax return each year with Revenu Québec.
Find out when you must file a tax return and how to get ready to do your taxes.
If you are new to Canada, find out what you need to know about applying to get benefit and credit payments, including provincial and territorial payments, even before doing your taxes for the first time.
Free solutions
- Free tax software
- You can do your taxes online with NETFILE-certified tax software. A variety of tax software packages and web apps are available, some of which are free.
- Free tax clinics
- If you have a modest income and a simple tax situation, you may be able to get your taxes done for free by a volunteer.
- Support from the CRA
- Organizations can request free outreach services.
You may be eligible to receive some of these payments. You can use the benefits calculator to determine how much you could get.
Goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax credit
This is a tax-free quarterly payment that helps individuals and families with low and modest incomes offset the goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) that they pay. Eligible single individuals can get up to $533 per year. A couple with two children under 19 could get up to $1,066 per year.
If you are eligible for the GST/HST credit, you may automatically be entitled to certain benefits and credits that the CRA administers on behalf of the provinces and territories.
Payments from the provinces and territories related (or similar) to the GST/HST credit
Based on where you live, you may also get the:
New Brunswick harmonized sales tax credit 
Newfoundland and Labrador income supplement - Newfoundland and Labrador disability amount
- Newfoundland and Labrador seniors' benefit
Nova Scotia affordable living tax credit
Ontario sales tax credit (component of the Ontario Trillium Benefit)-
Prince Edward Island sales tax credit 
Saskatchewan low-income tax credit
This is a monthly tax-free payment that helps with the cost of raising children under 18. Eligible families can get up to $7,997 per year for each child under 6 and up to $6,748 per year, for each child aged 6 to 17.
If you are eligible for the Canada child benefit (CCB), you may automatically be entitled to certain benefits that the CRA administers on behalf of the provinces and territories.
Payments from the provinces and territories for families with children
Based on where you live, you may also get the:
Alberta child and family benefit
BC family benefit- New Brunswick child tax benefit
- Newfoundland and Labrador child benefit (and Early childhood nutrition
supplement)
Northwest Territories child benefit- Nova Scotia child benefit
Nunavut child benefit- Ontario child benefit
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Prince Edward Island child benefit
Yukon child benefit
This is a monthly tax-free payment for families caring for a child under 18 who is eligible for the disability tax credit (DTC). Eligible families can get up to $284.25 per child per month. To get the child disability benefit, you must also be eligible for the CCB.
This is an amount that reduces tax owed and can be paid as part of a refund to those working and earning a low income. Eligible individuals can get up to $1,590, and a family can get up to $2,739. Persons with disabilities who are approved for the DTC may be eligible for the Canada workers benefit (CWB) disability supplement and get an additional amount up to $821. Individuals who are entitled to CWB when filing their income tax and benefit return will be entitled to 50% of the CWB as advanced payments under the Advanced Canada workers benefit (ACWB) and will be issued in 3 payments for the following benefit period.
This is a quarterly payment to offset the cost of federal pollution pricing for some provinces. The final payment for individuals will be issued starting April 22, 2025. If you filed your 2024 income tax and benefit return electronically no later than April 2, 2025, you will receive the payment in April. If you filed after that, you will receive your final payment once your 2024 return is assessed.
This is a refund payment based on the amount the CRA owes an individual after it assesses their income tax and benefit return.
This is a non-refundable tax credit that helps people with disabilities, or their supporting family member, reduce the amount of income tax they may have to pay. Being eligible for the DTC can help you in a number of ways. If you think you may be eligible, you should apply even if you do not have taxable income. Being approved for the DTC can help you access other federal programs, such as the registered disability savings plan, the Canada workers benefit disability supplement, and the child disability benefit.
Provincial and territorial credits
In addition to federal credits, individuals may be eligible for more credits depending on where they live.
Claim your expenses
Claiming expenses on your income tax return lets you lower your taxable income and potentially reduce the amount of income tax you owe.
Common expenses claimed by homeless and housing-insecure individuals:
- attendant care expenses
- medical expenses
- education expenses
- child care expenses
- moving expenses
- union or professional dues
- other employment expenses
- other deductions
For all deduction types you can claim on your tax return, refer to: All deductions, credits and expenses.
Manage your information with the CRA
You can access your CRA account information in multiple ways, making it easier and faster to make changes, view your benefit details, arrange payments, and more.
Making or receiving a payment
Stay connected and stay informed
For all digital services offered by the CRA, go to Digital services for individuals.
Learn about your taxes
Take our free online course to help you understand Canadian taxes, how to do them, and what’s in it for you. We’ve got 5-minute lessons, fun quizzes, and quick videos to break down everything you need to know.
Protect yourself from scams
Beware of scammers pretending to be the CRA. When in doubt, check your information in My Account or call the CRA. To learn what to expect if the CRA contacts you, go to Scam prevention and the CRA.
Know your rights
You have 16 rights when dealing with the CRA, outlined in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. These rights build upon the CRA’s corporate values of professionalism, respect, integrity, and collaboration.
Forms and guides
- Income Tax Package – Guide, return and schedules
- Guide RC4064, Disability-Related Information
- Form RC66, Canada Child Benefits Application includes federal, provincial, and territorial programs
- Form RC325, Address and telephone number change request
For all forms and guides, go to Forms and publications.
Multimedia
Factsheet: Housing insecure individuals
Benefits and credits available for those in precarious housing situations.
Factsheet: Individuals experiencing gender-based violence
Access benefit payments during times of stress and transition.
All multimedia outreach materials to print and share
Learning events
View recordings and register for upcoming national webinars
What’s new and upcoming at the CRA
We are continually improving our services to better support those experiencing abuse, financial hardships, and circumstances that can result in precarious housing situations.
SimpleFile
The CRA is inviting individuals to use the SimpleFile by Phone service again this year. You may also be invited to try out a new digital option as part of a pilot, as we work to provide even more filing options to Canadians.
Feature added to CRA webpage for those in an abusive situation
The CRA understands that people may find themselves in situations where abuse or violence is a risk, and that it could be a critical time to access information about accessing benefit and credit payments. To make it safer to find out what is available to them while in these circumstances, the CRA has enhanced its webpage for accessing benefits and credit payments with a discreet “Exit” button feature. This button allows users in sensitive situations to quickly leave the page and be redirected to a generic Google search, helping maintain privacy and safety.
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