Canadian · Veterans benefits
Canadian Forces Income Support and Caregiver Recognition Benefit rates.
Two Veterans Affairs Canada monthly benefits that people look up together: the caregiver payment that goes to an unpaid carer, and Canadian Forces Income Support (CFIS) for low-income veterans, survivors and orphans. Current amounts, eligibility and the quarterly caveat.
Short answer: the Caregiver Recognition Benefit is $1,264.25 a month. CFIS maximums are $2,131.63 for a veteran or survivor, $3,215.57 with a spouse or partner, $455.71 per dependent child and $976.82 for an orphan, adjusted quarterly and last changed 1 October.
Caregiver Recognition Benefit: $1,264.25 a month
The Caregiver Recognition Benefit is a tax-free monthly payment that recognizes the day-to-day role of a caregiver who helps a veteran stay at home. Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) says the current payment is $1,264.25 a month and that it is increased annually by the Consumer Price Index. Over twelve months that is $15,171.00.
The payment goes to the caregiver, but the veteran applies, because it is the veteran’s health needs that require the care. Both sign the form. VAC says to expect a decision within eight weeks of a completed application, with the caregiver starting to receive the benefit within nine weeks. When approved, the benefit is payable from the first day of the month in which the application was received, and there is no time limit on applying.
Who qualifies
- You are a former Canadian Armed Forces member with a disability benefit, either a VAC Disability Award or Pain and Suffering Compensation.
- You need ongoing care because of the condition behind that benefit. VAC lists three tests: care and supervision consistent with admission to an institution; daily physical help or ongoing direction for at least four activities of daily living; or daily supervision because you are not safe alone.
- Your caregiver is over 18, plays an essential role in your care and is unpaid.
- You are not a permanent resident of a nursing home or long-term care facility.
VAC adds that if you have a disability pension (or POW compensation) of 1% or more, you could receive this kind of support through the Attendance Allowance instead. The pension side is on our disability pension rates page, and the newer disability benefit is on the Pain and Suffering Compensation table.
Canadian Forces Income Support maximums
Canadian Forces Income Support (CFIS) is a tax-free monthly benefit for low-income veterans who no longer receive the Income Replacement Benefit, and for certain survivors and orphans. VAC says its maximum rates are adjusted on a quarterly basis, that the most recent adjustment took effect on 1 October, and that the next is scheduled for 1 January 2027.
| Household | Maximum per month | Over twelve months |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran or survivor | $2,131.63 | $25,579.56 |
| Veteran with spouse or partner | $3,215.57 | $38,586.84 |
| Each dependent child | $455.71 | $5,468.52 |
| Orphan | $976.82 | $11,721.84 |
Worked example (hypothetical)
A made-up veteran with a spouse and one dependent child would have a CFIS ceiling of $3,215.57 plus $455.71, or $3,671.28 a month. Actual payments are lower when household income is higher, because VAC measures income using the definition in section 2 of the Old Age Security Act, with a few prescribed exemptions. If the same family were also receiving the Caregiver Recognition Benefit, that $1,264.25 goes to the caregiver and is a separate payment, not a part of the household maximum.
Who qualifies for CFIS
VAC says to apply if your Income Replacement Benefit ended within the last six months, you have a low household income, you are looking for work or taking part in the Career Transition Services program, and you are a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces. Survivors and orphans continue to receive the benefit.
CFIS next to War Veterans Allowance
The two programs share the $2,131.63 single maximum and the $976.82 orphan maximum. They differ on the couple amount ($3,215.57 for CFIS, $3,215.53 for WVA, as printed on the same VAC page) and on the child amount ($455.71 for CFIS, $326.00 for WVA). WVA is for wartime service and is covered on our War Veterans Allowance rates page. For other federal disability and retirement benefits see the CPP disability benefit calculator.
What this page does not cover
It does not calculate your CFIS payment from your income, decide who counts as a caregiver, or cover the Attendance Allowance, Veterans Independence Program, Income Replacement Benefit or survivor versions of those programs. CFIS figures change quarterly, so check the VAC rates page if the date above is more than a few months old.
Sources
- Veterans Affairs Canada, Rates (Caregiver Recognition Benefit $1,264.25 and the CFIS and WVA maximums, quarterly wording and next adjustment; page modified 2026-10-01; retrieved 20 October 2026)
- Veterans Affairs Canada, Caregiver Recognition Benefit (eligibility, who is paid, timing, tax-free; page modified 2026-07-29; retrieved 20 October 2026)
- Veterans Affairs Canada, Canadian Forces Income Support (eligibility, income measure, quarterly adjustment; page modified 2026-10-20; retrieved 20 October 2026)
- Veterans Affairs Canada, War Veterans Allowance (the parallel wartime program used for the comparison; page modified 2025-07-16; retrieved 20 October 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Caregiver Recognition Benefit in 2026?
VAC says the current payment is $1,264.25 a month, increased annually by the Consumer Price Index. That is $15,171.00 over twelve months.
Who receives the Caregiver Recognition Benefit, the veteran or the caregiver?
The caregiver. The veteran has to apply because it is their health needs that require the care, but the caregiver completes and signs a section of the form and, if approved, begins to receive the benefit.
Who qualifies for the Caregiver Recognition Benefit?
A former Canadian Armed Forces member with a VAC Disability Award or Pain and Suffering Compensation who needs ongoing care because of that condition, whose caregiver is over 18, essential to their care and unpaid, and who is not a permanent resident of a nursing home or long-term care facility.
How long does the Caregiver Recognition Benefit take?
VAC says to expect a decision within eight weeks of a completed application and, if approved, for the caregiver to begin receiving the benefit within nine weeks. It is payable from the first day of the month in which the application is received.
What are the Canadian Forces Income Support maximums?
VAC lists $2,131.63 a month for a veteran or survivor, $3,215.57 for a veteran with a spouse or partner, $455.71 for each dependent child and $976.82 for an orphan. They are adjusted quarterly, most recently on 1 October, with the next adjustment scheduled for 1 January 2027.
Who qualifies for Canadian Forces Income Support?
VAC says to apply if you are a Canadian Armed Forces Veteran whose Income Replacement Benefit ended within the last six months, you have a low household income, and you are looking for work or in the Career Transition Services program. Survivors and orphans continue to receive it.
Is CFIS paid at the maximum to everyone?
No. The amount depends on whether you are single or married and whether you have children, and VAC measures household income using the Old Age Security Act definition with a few exemptions. The figures here are maximums.
Are these benefits taxable?
VAC describes both the Caregiver Recognition Benefit and Canadian Forces Income Support as tax-free monthly benefits.
Published maximums, not an entitlement decision
This page repeats amounts and eligibility wording published by Veterans Affairs Canada. CFIS amounts are maximums and depend on household income. It does not decide eligibility or calculate what you would receive. Confirm current figures with VAC.