Social assistance in Newfoundland and Labrador: how to apply for income support

How to apply for income support (welfare) in Newfoundland and Labrador: where to start, what to bring and what to expect, from the official pages.

How to apply

Income Support: you must be 18 or older, live in Newfoundland and Labrador and pass a financial assessment; it is a last resort after other sources such as EI or CPP. Apply by phone at 1-877-729-7888 (a copy is mailed for your signature) or send the forms to the Document Processing Unit (incomesupport@gov.nl.ca). Provide SINs, income for the prior 30 days, a recent bank statement and rent documents. Decisions take roughly 30 days.

Official page ↗

Benefit amounts and asset limits change and some pages disagree, so they are not listed: ask the program. Rules, fees and programs change and were read on 2026-11-14: confirm with the official source. General information, not legal advice. Quebec follows its own rules: see atlasquebec.ca.

Guides for this province