Apply for help with household, healthcare and home heating costs: Seniors Care Grant

Grant amount

Your grant amount is based on the cost of your household and healthcare services, up to a maximum of $500.

Eligible household and healthcare services

Eligible household and healthcare services include services that help you stay in your home including:

• cooking and meal preparation (excluding the cost of food)
• grocery and meal delivery (excluding the cost of food)
• healthcare services for your health and wellness (like foot care, physiotherapy and mental health support)
• home heating repairs and regular heating maintenance
• home cleaning, organizing and help with downsizing or moving
• laundry
• medication and prescription delivery (excluding the cost of medications and prescriptions)
• outdoor work (like driveway maintenance, landscaping, lawn care, snow removal, stacking wood and tree removal)
• phone, cellphone and internet services (excluding the cost of devices)
• small home repairs (like windows, doors, roof, plumbing, electrical, decks, fencing, siding and painting)
• transportation (like taxis, ride shares, shuttles and other methods of transportation) and public and community transit (like the bus, Access-A-Bus and ferry)

Ineligible household and healthcare services include the cost of:

• devices (like phones, cellphones, computers, laptops and tablets)
• food
• medical and assistive devices (like eyeglasses, dentures, dental implants, braces, orthopedic supports and personal alerts)
• medications, prescriptions, supplements and vitamins

One-time Home Heating Grant

When you apply for the Seniors Care Grant, you can also apply for a one-time Home Heating Grant of $250. The Home Heating Grant helps with the cost of heating (like furnace oil, natural gas, propane, firewood, wood pellets and electricity).

The cost of heating equipment isn’t covered by the Home Heating Grant. If the cost of heating is part of your rent or condominium fee, you can’t apply for a one-time heating grant.

Help with your application

The Seniors Care Grant can help you with the application process and answer questions about proof of income, home ownership or lease agreement, and receipts for household services.

Receipts

Keep a copy of your receipts for household and healthcare services and home heating for your records. You only need to provide receipts if the Seniors Care Grant contacts you and asks you to provide receipts.

Acceptable receipts include receipts:

• on a piece of paper or in a notebook (written or signed by the service provider)
• in a receipt book (written or signed by the person or business providing the service)
• from a business

Receipts need to include:

• name of the person receiving the service
• type of service received
• cost of the service
• date of the service
• name and address of the person or business providing the service

Property Tax Rebate for Seniors

When you apply for the Property Tax Rebate for Seniors, you can also opt in to receive the Seniors Care Grant. If you opt in through the Property Tax Rebate for Seniors application process, you don’t need to apply again for the Seniors Care Grant (your grant is processed automatically). The Department of Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services also contacts you to see if you want to apply for a one-time Home Heating Grant.

Eligibility

To qualify for the grant, you need to be 65 or older by 31 March 2023 and meet all of the following criteria:

• have a household net income of $37,500 or less
• live in your own home or apartment
• have your name on the property title, Land Titles Initiative Certificate of Claim or residential lease agreement
• have paid (or that you will pay) for household and healthcare services and home heating between 1 June 2022 and 31 March 2023

You need to apply by 31 March 2023 (only 1 person per household can apply).

How to apply

1. Apply online for the grant (you can also apply for a one-time Home Heating Grant).
2. Submit your completed application.
3. If your application is approved, your reimbursement cheques are mailed to you.

How long it takes

It should take 8 weeks to get your reimbursement cheques. It can take longer if more information is needed or if your application hasn’t been filled in correctly. If more information is required to process your grants, the Department of Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services contacts you by email.

Cost

There is no cost to apply for the grant.

Before you start

Make sure you have:

• all adults on the application available to sign the form
• social insurance numbers and dates of birth of all adults in your home
• total amount spent (or that you will spend) on household and healthcare services and home heating between 1 June 2022 and 31 March 2023

The Department of Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services may contact you and ask you to provide proof of income, home ownership or lease agreement and receipts for household and healthcare services and home heating. If you need to provide proof of home ownership or lease agreement, you can use a property tax bill, property assessment notice, mortgage statement, Land Titles Initiative Certificate of Claim, utility bill that shows your home address or a residential lease agreement with your name on it.

Apply online

When you apply online you need an email address. The Seniors Care Grant emails you if it needs more information to process your grant.

Start now

Other ways to apply

You can use the Seniors Care Grant Application Form (PDF 738 kB) if you’re unable to apply online. Send your completed application (both sides of the application) and any supporting documents by mail or fax. If you want to receive a paper application by mail, contact us.