Millions of dollars in unclaimed benefits

Millions of dollars in unclaimed benefits

SCARBOROUGH–An estimated 200,000 families with children are eligible to receive money under the Harper Government’s proposed enhanced Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB), but are at risk of not receiving the benefit unless they apply. In Toronto, for example, there are an estimated 32,000 families who are not registered. The Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Minister of Employment and Social Development, today asked for help from the media and the public to encourage families to apply for the benefit.

The majority of families with children, approximately 3.8 million, are known and will automatically receive the enhanced UCCB or be contacted by the Government to confirm their information. However, many eligible families are not currently captured by the Government’s UCCB system and may miss out on receiving money that is owed to them unless they apply. In 2015 alone, this represents potentially millions of dollars in unclaimed benefits.

Under the proposed enhancements to the UCCB, families would receive almost $2,000 per year for each child under 6 and $720 per year for each child aged 6 through 17. The new benefit amounts would be retroactive to January 1, 2015 and be reflected in monthly payments to families in July 2015. The proposed enhancements to the UCCB are expected to more than double the number of families that benefit from 1.6 million to more than 4 million.

If your family is not currently receiving the UCCB, has never received the UCCB, or has never applied for the Canada Child Tax Benefit and you still have children under 18 in your care, please go to www.canada.ca/taxsavings in order to find out how you can apply.

Quick Facts

All families with children will benefit from the new Family Tax Cuts and Benefits, which includes the Family Tax Cut, and enhancements to the UCCB, Child Care Expense Deduction and the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit.
Combined with tax relief introduced by the Government of Canada since 2006, a typical family of four can receive up to $6,600 in tax relief and enhanced benefits in 2015.

(PRESS RELEASE from Office of the Minister of Employment and Social Development)