The Canada Workers Benefit is increasing — Here's how much you can get in 2026

Heads up, Canadian workers! The Canada Workers Benefit is getting a boost for 2026, joining a list of a bunch of benefits the Canada Revenue Agency has indexed to inflation for next year.

The Canada Workers Benefit increase for 2026 means eligible low-income earners will be seeing a little extra in their government payments next year to help cover the rising cost of living in Canada.

Each year, the Canada Revenue Agency adjusts the CWB to match inflation, just like it does with the federal tax brackets and other benefits like the GST/HST Credit and the Canada Child Benefit. The idea is to make sure your support keeps up with the rising cost of living.

READ ALSO: Canada's 2026 federal income tax brackets are out — Here's how much you'll pay next year

The CWB is a refundable tax credit designed to top up the incomes of workers earning below certain thresholds. It includes a basic amount and a disability supplement, and your eligibility and payment size are based on your income and family situation.

If you're eligible for the CWB, you can even receive part of your benefit amount in advance, split across three payments.

How advance payments work

You don't have to wait until tax time to get the CWB. The CRA will send up to half your benefit in advance, split into three payments across the year — this is called the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit (ACWB). These payments go out in July, October and January.

Because the CRA doesn't know yet how much you'll earn in the current year, those advance payments are based on what you qualified for the previous year. The remaining half of your credit — plus or minus any adjustments — comes with your tax refund the following spring.

So if you've been getting advance payments in 2025, those have been based on your 2024 tax return and the benefit amounts from that year. Any top-up or correction to bring it to the proper 2025 amount will come when you file your taxes this coming spring.

That means that unlike other CRA benefits you get throughout the year, the ACWB payments you get in the next benefit year — from July 2026 to January 2027 — will follow the 2025 payment amounts, rather than the 2026 ones.

What's changing for 2026

For the 2026 tax year, the CRA is increasing the CWB by 2.0%, in line with inflation. But again, you won't feel that increase right away.

The 2026 benefit year — i.e., your advance payments in July 2026, October 2026 and January 2027 — will still use the 2025 CWB amounts, since it's based on your 2025 return. For that year, the indexation increase was slightly higher, at 2.7%.

Here are the 2025 amounts — these are the ones that will apply to your 2026 advance payments:

• Maximum benefit for single individuals with no children: $1,633
• Maximum benefit for families: $2,813
• Maximum disability supplement: $843

The income thresholds for phasing out these benefits also went up slightly in 2025, so you might still qualify even if you got a small raise.

For singles, the benefit will now start to phase out at an adjusted net income of $26,855, while for families it's $30,639. These limits are meant to keep the benefit aligned with wages and inflation.

The income thresholds for the disability supplement also increased in 2025 — for singles, the supplement now begins phasing out at $37,740, and for families it's a bit higher at $49,389.

Keep in mind that these are the federal amounts — if you live in Alberta, Quebec or Nunavut, your maximums and thresholds will be different due to separate agreements with the federal government.

How much you'll get per payment in 2026

Your advance payments make up 50% of your total CWB amount from the previous year — so divide that into three, and you'll get a pretty good estimate of what's coming each quarter.

Here's how it breaks down using the 2025 amounts:

• Singles: Up to $272.17 per payment
• Families: Up to $468.83 per payment
• Disability supplement: Up to $140.50 extra per payment

So if you qualify for both the base amount and the disability supplement, your advance payments could each total over $400 — or nearly $750 for a family where both adults qualify for the supplement.

Advance Canada Workers Benefit payment dates

The CRA typically pays out the ACWB on the 12th of January, July and October, unless that lands on a weekend or holiday, in which case the money shows up on the previous business day.

Here are the official 2026 dates:

• January 12, 2026 (final payment using 2024 rates)
• July 10, 2026 (first payment using 2025 rates)
• October 9, 2026

If the schedule holds, the final advance payment for the 2026 benefit year — still using 2025 rates — should land on January 12, 2027.

To keep getting the Canada Workers Benefit, make sure you file your taxes on time. You don't need to apply separately — the CRA calculates your eligibility and amount when you file your return.

For lots of Canadians, the CWB is a helpful boost that makes a real difference. So, if you're working and earning a lower income, keep an eye on your bank account this summer — that extra money might just be coming your way.

Are you getting the Canada Workers Benefit?

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