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Leaving income assistance

Last updated on August 27, 2025

After you leave assistance, you and your family may:

  • Keep a portion of your medical benefits
  • Continue to qualify for other provincial and federal programs

On this page:

Contact us to find out what you could be able to receive when you leave assistance.

Child and family benefits

Affordable Child Care Benefit

If you earn a low income, you could get help to cover childcare fees.

Canada Child Benefit

If your family income is less than a certain amount each year, you could get extra money based on the number of children in your family.

Transitional Health Services

All families get money each month for their children under 17. Unlike all other benefits, this is taxable income.

Health and medical support

Fair PharmaCare Plan

You are encouraged to register for the Fair PharmaCare plan. You can register while receiving or after leaving assistance. It can help you pay for:

  • Prescriptions
  • Medical supplies and devices
  • Pharmacy services

Medical Services Only

You could keep some of your extra health coverage if you or someone in your family:

  • Received disability assistance
  • Is a person with persistent multiple barriers
  • Lives in a special care facility

Medical Services Plan (MSP)

You could get premium-free MSP coverage if your total income is under the limit for premium assistance.

Healthy Kids Program

If you qualify for MSP premium assistance, you may be able to get help paying for your children's basic dental and vision care.

Tax credits and income supplements

B.C. Sales Tax Credit

You could get a credit for each adult in your family as part of your income tax refund.

GST/HST Credit

Depending on your income, you could get money to help offset the costs of paying the GST on taxable purchases.

Climate Action Tax Credit

If you are a low-income person or family, you could get this credit for each adult and child in your family. It is paid quarterly together with the federal GST credit.

Rental Assistance Program (RAP) 

If you earn less than a certain amount each year, you could get help with paying rent.

Working Income Tax Benefit

If you earn a low income, you could get a supplement to your annual earnings.

Filing your income tax is an easy way to get tax benefits from the government. Receiving tax benefits doesn’t affect your assistance.

You may owe money to the government if you are no longer on income assistance and received:

  • Hardship assistance you have to pay back
  • Money for assistance you didn’t qualify for
  • Repayable money or supplements, such as a security deposit

Find out how to pay a debt to the government.

Contact information

Get help and answers to your questions at your local office or:

Toll Free
1-866-866-0800