Employment and Income Assistance
For Single Parents
Introduction
The Employment and Income Assistance Program (EIA) provides financial help to Manitobans who have no other way to support themselves or their families. For people who are able to work, EIA will help them go back to work by providing supports to employment. EIA recipients also get Rent Assist if they need help with their shelter and utility costs.
This web page provides general information about the program; how to apply; who should apply; and the rights and responsibilities that apply to you and the program. Everyone’s situation is different, so if you need more details about what you may be able to get through EIA, contact your local EIA office.
How to Apply for EIA
For more information on how to apply for EIA, contact your local EIA office.
Phone: 204-948-4000 in Winnipeg
Toll free: 1-855-944-8111
1-800-855-0511 (Manitoba Relay Service); or go to our website
After-hours emergency support may be available if you have a crisis that cannot wait until regular business hours. For emergency support, call 204-945-0183 in Winnipeg or toll free at 1-866-559-6778.
To Receive EIA as a Single Parent
- You live in Manitoba and are 18 years of age or older.
- You have custody of a dependent child or children or you are in your seventh, eighth or ninth month of pregnancy.
- You are unmarried, separated, divorced, widowed or have a spouse who is in prison.
- You are in financial need. (See below for more details.)
Financial Need
You may be eligible for assistance if the total cost of your or your family’s monthly basic needs and shelter costs are more than your total financial resources. Your financial resources are based on your income and assets.
For EIA, the cost of basic needs is based on:
- the EIA basic allowance amount for your family size, the number of people in the family, their ages and relationships to each other
- the cost of some of your ongoing medical needs
Rent Assist is based on the cost of your shelter, utilities and fuel.
Sources of Income
Your income may come from part of the money you earn from working, self-employment, child or spousal support payments, rent or room and board amounts paid to you, allowances, pensions, insurance benefits, financial settlements from an injury or lawsuit, business or farm profits, interest, dividends, sponsorship payments, inheritances, windfalls (winnings) or income in-kind.
EIA does not count some income as your financial resources. Some examples are:
- part of the money you earn from working (see Earnings Exemption section for details)
- part of rent or room and board paid to you
- occasional gifts up to $100 per person
- foster home maintenance payments
- Canada Child Benefit
- tax credit refunds
- Manitoba Prenatal Benefit Program benefits
- earnings of children who are in school or an EIA-approved program, full-time
Financial Assets
Your assets may be cash, money in bank accounts, investments, bonds, insurance policies, property or real estate, collections or valuables, trust funds or vehicles.
EIA does not count some assets as your financial resources. Some examples are:
- any money (called ‘liquid assets’) up to $4,000 per person to a maximum of $16,000 per family
- your main home (called a ‘primary residence’), automobiles and other essential property
- children’s trust funds up to $40,000
- Registered Education Savings Plans
- approved Individual Development Accounts
These are only examples. Staff can tell you what income and assets affect you.
Single Grants for Medical Equipment and Supplies
If you can pay for your basic living costs, but cannot afford to pay for your or your family’s health needs, you may be eligible for health care costs.
Manitoba Benefits
Income support
EIA, Rent Assist and the federal government provide benefits to eligible Manitobans as listed in the table below.
EIA and Rent Assist provide benefits to help with the costs of things that are necessary for your health and well-being.You decide how to spend your total income on things like food, clothing, personal needs, household supplies and shelter.
Rent Assist may also pay actual costs for your utilities (water, hydro and fuel), if they are not already included in your rent.
Some goods and services cost more in Northern Manitoba; EIA provides the Northern Allowance to cover some of the extra costs.
Total Monthly Tax-Free Income* | ||||||
Number of Children |
Age of Children |
Provincial |
Federal |
Total Income | ||
12-17 |
7-11 |
0-6 | ||||
No children |
- |
- |
- |
$1,026 |
$28 |
$1,054 |
1
|
1 |
- |
- |
$1,531 |
$619 |
$2,150 |
- |
1 |
- |
$1,493 |
$619 |
$2,112 | |
- |
- |
1 |
$1,480 |
$721 |
$2,201 | |
2
|
2 |
- |
- |
$1,704 |
$1,182 |
$2,886 |
- |
2 |
- |
$1,628 |
$1,182 |
$2,810 | |
- |
- |
2 |
$1,590 |
$1,384 |
$2,974 | |
1 |
1 |
- |
$1,666 |
$1,182 |
$2,848 | |
- |
1 |
1 |
$1,615 |
$1,283 |
$2,898 | |
1 |
- |
1 |
$1,653 |
$1,283 |
$2,936 | |
3
|
3 |
- |
- |
$1,866 |
$1,744 |
$3,610 |
- |
3 |
- |
$1,753 |
$1,744 |
$3,497 | |
- |
- |
3 |
$1,690 |
$2,048 |
$3,738 | |
2 |
1 |
- |
$1,829 |
$1,744 |
$3,573 | |
2 |
- |
1 |
$1,816 |
$1,845 |
$3,661 | |
- |
2 |
1 |
$1,740 |
$1,845 |
$3,585 | |
1 |
2 |
- |
$1,791 |
$1,744 |
$3,535 | |
1 |
- |
2 |
$1,753 |
$1,947 |
$3,700 | |
- |
1 |
2 |
$1,715 |
$1,947 |
$3,662 | |
1 |
1 |
1 |
$1,778 |
$1,845 |
$3,624 | |
*Provincial benefits listed in the table include EIA and Rent Assist. Federal benefits listed in the table may include the Goods and Services Tax credit and the Canada Child Benefit. Any changes occurring after July 1, 2024 are not reflected in the table amounts.
+ Amounts provided to single, expectant mothers in their seventh, eighth or ninth month of pregnancy.
Direct Deposit
EIA will deposit your benefits directly into your bank or credit union. Direct deposit is automatic, reliable, safe and secure. Speak to staff for more information.
Employment Assistance
Most EIA participants must look for work. This is called a “work expectation.” Here is what you should know about your responsibilities and the help staff can provide.
Parents are expected to prepare for and look for work when all their children are at least two years old. EIA staff will help you set and carry out an action plan that matches your needs and abilities, and is right for you and your family. EIA can also help with employment and training programs, self-employment, benefits and services.
EIA may provide extra money to help you with your approved action plan. It may help with:
- child care expenses
- work expenses like work clothing or work boots
- telephone costs, if needed for a job
- up to $25 per month for miscellaneous expenses, when you’re in an approved training program
- $100 Rewarding Work Allowance per month, for each adult who works full-time and $50 per month for part-time workers
If your situation changes, or you are having problems with your action plan, you must talk to staff about changing it. If you have a work expectation and do not try to find work, or use your action plan, your EIA benefits may be affected.
Supporting Transitions to Rewarding Work
Programs and benefits that help you move from EIA to work, increasing the benefits of working and helping you to stay independent of EIA.
Get Ready!
Under the Get Ready! policy, you may continue to receive EIA benefits while you attend a training or education program for up to four years. Your plan will be developed based on the help or training you need to find a job that will support you and your family.
Earnings Exemption
EIA is designed to ensure you will always have more money when you work. The earnings exemption allows you to keep the first $200 of your net monthly earnings. It also allows you to keep 30 per cent of any amount you earn over $200, before your EIA benefits are reduced.
An Income Declaration Statement is mailed to you each month. This is a form you must fill out after you get your last pay for the month. You must also attach your original pay stubs and child care receipts and send everything to the address listed on the form. After staff have this information, they will work out how much you will receive from EIA.
Leaving EIA
You may be eligible for some benefits as you move to work, or a training program funded by the department and no longer receive EIA.
- Rewarding Work Health Plan gives prescription drug, dental and optical benefits for up to two years for eligible single parents and their children who move from EIA to work or who start receiving a living allowance while attending a training program funded by the department.