You have until September 30, 2026, to apply for the shelter allowance for the period from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026. If you meet the eligibility requirements, you will receive the shelter allowance retroactively. You will receive the amounts you were entitled to since October 1, 2025, with your first payment.

For the period from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026, the program provides up to $170 in financial assistance per month.

Are you eligible for the shelter allowance?

To find out if you are eligible for the shelter allowance for the period from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026, you can see the list of requirements.

Questionnaire

Choose your family situation to access a short questionnaire. It will only take a few minutes to complete.

If you have a spouse but you do not live together, choose individual or one of the single-parent family options.

• Individual 50 or Over Living Alone 
• Couple With No Dependent Children in Which at Least One Person Is 50 or Over
• Couple With One Dependent Child 
• Couple With Two or More Dependent Children
• Single-Parent Family With One or Two Dependent Children
• Single-Parent Family With Three or More Dependent Children

If none of the above situations apply, you are not entitled to the shelter allowance.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible for the shelter allowance for the period from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026, if you meet all the following conditions:

• You live in Québec.
• You were not exempt from income tax for 2024.
• When you apply, you or your spouse (if you have one) are in one of these situations:
  • You own the dwelling you live in.
  • You rent an eligible dwelling (room, apartment or house).
  • You live with a person you pay rent to.
• You or your spouse (if you have one) has at least one dependent child or will be 50 or over by September 30, 2026.
• If you were living in Québec on December 31, 2024, you and your spouse (if you have one) filed a Québec income tax return for 2024. If not, you must complete one and attach it to your application.
• On December 31, 2024, the total value of your (and your spouse's, if you have one) bank accounts, tax-free savings accounts (TFSAs) and investments did not exceed $50,000. First home savings accounts (FHSAs) and registered plans (RRSP, RDSP, LIRA, RRIF, etc.) are not included in the $50,000.
• You spent at least 30% of your family income for 2024 on housing.
• Your 2024 family income is less than the maximum for the shelter allowance, based on your family situation (see the table below).

Maximum family income by family situation

Family situation	Maximum family income1For a person, couple or family that spends 80% or more of its family income on housing
Individual 50 or over living alone	$22,900
Couple with no dependent children in which at least one person is 50 or over	$32,200
Couple with one dependent child	$39,500
Single-parent family with one or two dependent children	$39,500
Couple with two or more dependent children	$45,500
Single-parent family with three or more dependent children	$45,500
Note 1 For a person, couple or family that spends 80% or more of its family income on housing.

If your family income is equal to or more than the maximum in the table above, you are not eligible for the shelter allowance. If it is less, you can apply, and we will determine whether you are eligible.

How to apply

If you meet all the requirements, you can apply for the program in various ways. The deadline is September 30, 2026.

Using the online service

It's fast and easy to apply for the shelter allowance using the online service in My Account for individuals.

Using the form

If you cannot apply using our online service, use the Shelter Allowance Application (LEX-165-V).

You may also need to complete the Statement of Rent for the Shelter Allowance (LEZ-14-V) if you rent a room, apartment or house, or live in a mobile home on rented land.

Send the form(s) and required documents to:

Revenu Québec
C. P. 6800, succursale Place-Desjardins
Montréal (Québec)  H5B 1J5

Getting the forms by mail

If you are unable to apply online or print the required forms, we can mail them to you. Call us at:

• Montréal area: 514 940-1481
• Québec City area: 418 266-1016
• Elsewhere in Canada and the United States: 1 855 291-6467 (toll-free)

You can call our client services Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Shelter allowance payments

If you send us a complete application and are entitled to the shelter allowance, it will be paid to you by cheque or direct deposit. If you haven't signed up for direct deposit and you want to receive your allowance that way, complete a Request for Direct Deposit (LM-3-V).

The allowance is based on your family income, your family situation and the percentage of your income you spend on housing. We will determine your eligibility and the amount of your allowance when we review your application. The payment frequency is based on the amount of your allowance.

If you apply by September 30, 2026, the shelter allowance will be paid retroactively. You will receive the amounts you were entitled to with your first payment.

Change in your situation during the year

You must inform us quickly of certain changes in your situation.

The following situations can change your eligibility or the amount of your payments:

• The details of your dwelling change (there is a change in your rent, in the services it includes, in your mortgage interest, your municipal taxes or your school taxes [if you own your dwelling], your dwelling becomes subsidized, etc.).
• You and your spouse separate or you have a new spouse.
• Your spouse dies.
• The number of people who share your housing costs changes.
• You leave Québec or come back to live here.
• You are confined to a prison or a similar institution.

If any of these situations occur between the time you send us the application and September 30, 2026, you must inform us immediately in one of the following ways.

By mail

Send us a letter in which you:

• give your name, social insurance or identification number and full address
• mention the shelter allowance program and the period in question (for example, the period from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026), and
• explain the change in your situation

Sign the letter and send it and the required documents (see page 4 of form LEX-165-V) to:

Revenu Québec
C. P. 6800, succursale Place-Desjardins
Montréal (Québec)  H5B 1J5

By phone

If you do not need to send any documents for your change in situation, you can call us at one of the numbers below between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday:

• Montréal area: 514 940-1481
• Québec City area: 418 266-1016
• Elsewhere in Canada and the United States: 1 855 291-6467 (toll-free)