Who Gets the Guaranteed Income Supplement, and How Much Are Payments?

The Guaranteed Income Supplement, or GIS, is a non-taxable monthly benefit available to qualified low-income people over the age of 65 living in Canada who receive the Old Age Security pension. The supplement was introduced in 1967 as a way to provide additional benefits to older adults with lower income and who would otherwise struggle to make ends meet.

How to qualify for the GIS

The GIS is not available to everyone, and there are strict eligibility requirements. To qualify, you must:

Changes in GIS eligibility

It’s crucial to be aware that your eligibility to receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement can change if:

If any of the above situations, you should contact Service Canada as soon as possible so they can reassess your GIS eligibility.

Calculating your GIC payment

The amount of GIS you’ll receive depends on two main things: your income from the previous tax year (or combined income if you’re married or have a common-law partner) and your marital status.

If you are single, widowed or divorced and earned less than $22,488 in 2025, the maximum GIS payment is $1,108.74 per month. If you are married or in a common-law relationship, it gets a little more complicated:

GIS monthly payments for couples

It’s important to understand that there is no standard GIS amount. Your payments could change from year to year if your income or marital status changes. That’s why it’s vital that you file your income taxes each year, as the government uses that information to confirm the amount of GIS you’re eligible to receive.

If you don’t file your taxes by April 30 each year, your GIS payments could be delayed.

If you or your partner have a lower income than you did last tax year due to retirement or reductions in other benefits, you should call Service Canada. They can calculate your GIS payments based on your estimated income for this year, instead of using last year’s higher income.

Your GIS eligibility may be automatic

Some Canadians will automatically be eligible for the GIS. If you fall into this category, the government will send you a letter after you turn 64 to alert you that you are eligible to receive the benefit once you turn 65. If you don’t receive the letter by one month after your 64th birthday, you can apply for the benefit by contacting Service Canada. If you qualify for the GIS, the amount will be added to your Old Age Security pension and you’ll receive a payment each month.

Once you start to receive the GIS, you will receive a letter every July that explains whether or not the benefit was renewed and how much you will get. You may also receive a request to send in more information about your income sources.

What to do if there’s a problem with your GIS

If the government reassesses your eligibility for GIS and decides to stop or decrease your payments, you can request a review. After receiving a letter stating your new GIS amount, you have 90 days to request a reconsideration by filling out a special form. If you are not satisfied with the results of your initial appeal, you can then contact the Social Security Tribunal.