New CRA Payment Boost: Two separate increases are converging on Canadian bank accounts this month, and most people receiving them don’t realize both are happening at once. The Canada Child Benefit and other income-tested payments have been running at their higher, inflation-adjusted rates since July, but Old Age Security is getting its own, separate quarterly bump for the first time this cycle, landing on August 27, 2026. If you’re only checking your deposit amount without knowing which increase applies to which benefit, it’s easy to miss exactly how much more you’re actually entitled to, or worse, assume a number is wrong when it’s actually correct.
Here’s the short version: the Canada Revenue Agency applied a 2% annual indexation increase across most income-tested benefits starting with the new July 2026 benefit year, while Service Canada separately raised OAS by 1.2% for the July-to-September quarter specifically, the largest quarterly OAS bump of the year. These aren’t the same adjustment, they run on different schedules and different formulas, which is exactly why so many people are confused about what changed and by how much. We’ll be updating this article monthly so you always know exactly what boost applies to which payment, and when.
CRA and Service Canada Payment Boost Key Highlights
| Benefit | Previous Amount | New Amount | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCB, per child under 6 (annual max) | $7,997 | $8,157 | +$160 |
| CCB, per child 6 to 17 (annual max) | $6,748 | $6,883 | +$135 |
| Canada Disability Benefit (monthly max) | $200.00 | $204.20 | +$4.20 |
| OAS, ages 65-74 (monthly max) | $743.05 | $751.97 | +$8.92 |
| OAS, ages 75+ (monthly max) | $817.36 | $827.17 | +$9.81 |
| GST/HST credit (now CGEB), single, annual | ~$543 | Up to $679 | +25% |
| GST/HST credit (now CGEB), couple, annual | ~$712 | Up to $890 | +25% |
| Overall indexation rate applied | 2.7% (2025) | 2.0% (2026) | Lower than last year |
| OAS quarterly increase (July-Sept 2026) | N/A | 1.2% | Largest quarterly bump of 2026 |
The Latest Update: Two Different Boosts Landing at the Same Time
This is the part worth understanding first, since it’s the source of most of the confusion right now. The 2% indexation adjustment that raised amounts for benefits like the Canada Child Benefit, the Canada Disability Benefit, and the newly renamed Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit already took effect with the start of the 2026-27 benefit year on July 1, and your August payment simply continues that same higher rate, it isn’t a new increase on top of what you already received in July.
OAS is different. Old Age Security is reviewed and adjusted quarterly, not annually, based on changes in the Consumer Price Index. For the July-to-September 2026 quarter, Service Canada confirmed a 1.2% increase, the single largest quarterly OAS bump of the year, and this is the first payment at that new rate, landing on Thursday, August 27, 2026. So while most benefit recipients are simply continuing to receive July’s higher amount, OAS recipients are actually seeing a fresh increase specifically this month.
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Why Your Increase Might Be Bigger (or Smaller) Than the Headline Number
Here’s something that trips up a lot of people checking these figures against their own deposit: the percentages above are maximums, not guarantees. Most of these programs are income-tested, meaning your actual payment depends on your household’s adjusted family net income, and virtually everything shifted this year to being calculated using your 2025 tax return instead of your 2024 return.
This matters more than people expect. If your income dropped in 2025, say due to reduced work hours, retirement, or lower investment withdrawals, your benefit could increase by more than the standard indexation rate, since you may now qualify for a larger income-tested portion on top of the base increase. On the other hand, if your 2025 income rose compared to 2024, some benefits, particularly the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), could actually shrink even while your base OAS pension goes up, since GIS is recalculated against your income every July regardless of the broader indexation rate.
Breaking Down Exactly How Much More Families Get
For a household with two children under six receiving the full Canada Child Benefit maximum, the increase works out to a combined annual boost of $320, bringing total CCB from $15,994 up to $16,314 for the 2026-27 benefit year. Families also qualifying for provincial top-ups, like the B.C. Family Benefit, which pays alongside the CCB in a single combined deposit, see additional monthly amounts layered on top: $145.83 for a first child, $91.66 for a second child, and $75 for each additional child, for families under the qualifying income threshold.
It’s worth noting that the CCB increase this year, while still meaningful, is smaller in percentage terms than last year’s adjustment. The 2025 benefit year saw a 2.7% indexation bump; this year’s 2% increase reflects a slightly cooler pace of inflation compared to the prior 12-month measurement period.
What Changed for the GST/HST Credit, Now Called the CGEB
This is genuinely one of the bigger structural changes in this year’s CRA payment lineup, and it’s easy to miss if you’re not paying close attention. The GST/HST credit has been formally renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB), and under Bill C-19, which received Royal Assent on February 12, 2026, it now delivers a permanent 25% increase over the old credit amount, locked in for five consecutive years through mid-2031.
Eligible single individuals can now receive up to $679 per year, and couples up to $890 per year, under the new CGEB structure, a meaningful jump from the roughly $543 and $712 respective maximums under the old GST/HST credit naming and formula. This is a quarterly payment, however, so there’s no CGEB deposit landing in August specifically; the July 3 payment was the first at the new higher rate, and the next one arrives October 5, 2026.
What Seniors Are Actually Seeing on August 27
For seniors receiving OAS, GIS, or the Allowance, August 27 is arguably the most consequential payment date of the entire year, not just because of the 1.2% quarterly OAS increase, but because it’s also the date when GIS, the Allowance, and the Allowance for the Survivor switch to being calculated using your 2025 tax return instead of 2024 data. The OAS recovery tax (clawback) threshold also rolls forward for the new July 2026-to-June 2027 repayment year, now set at $93,454 in net world income.
One detail worth knowing if you’re approaching 75: OAS recipients receive an automatic 10% increase the month following their 75th birthday, which is already built into the higher $827.17 maximum figure above and requires no separate application.
Who Isn’t Seeing a Boost in August
Not every CRA-administered benefit has an August deposit at all, which is worth clarifying since its absence sometimes gets mistaken for a missed or reduced payment. Both the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit and the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit are paid quarterly, and neither has a scheduled August deposit this year, the next CGEB payment lands October 5, and the next Advanced Canada Workers Benefit payment is scheduled for October 9, 2026. If you’re expecting either of these specifically in August, there’s nothing wrong with your account, they simply aren’t on this month’s calendar.
What You Need to Do to Keep Receiving Your Full Boosted Amount
The single biggest factor determining whether you receive your full increased benefit amount is simple but easy to overlook: filing your income tax return, even if you had no income to report last year. Every income-tested benefit recalculation described above depends entirely on the CRA having your 2025 tax return on file. If you haven’t filed yet, your payments could be paused, reduced, or continue being calculated using outdated information until you do, regardless of how generous the new indexation rates are on paper.
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Official CRA and Service Canada Resources
| Purpose | Official Link |
|---|---|
| CRA My Account (Check Your Benefit Amounts) | canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/cra-login-services.html |
| Canada Child Benefit Calculator | canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/canada-child-benefit-overview/canada-child-benefit-calculator.html |
| Full 2026 Benefit Payment Dates Calendar | canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/canada-child-benefit-overview/canada-child-benefit-payment-dates.html |
| My Service Canada Account (CPP, OAS, GIS) | canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/my-account.html |
| Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly GST/HST credit) | canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/gsthstc-payment-dates.html |
| CRA General Enquiries | 1-800-387-1193 |
| Service Canada General Enquiries | 1-800-277-9914 |
FAQs
Why did my CRA benefit payment go up this month?
Most income-tested CRA benefits increased by 2% starting with the new July 2026 benefit year, based on annual inflation indexation. If you’re a senior receiving OAS, a separate 1.2% quarterly increase also took effect for the first time on August 27, 2026.
How much more will I get from the Canada Child Benefit this year?
Up to $160 more per year for each child under 6, and up to $135 more per year for each child aged 6 to 17, compared to the previous 2025-26 benefit year, assuming you qualify for the full maximum amount.
Is the GST/HST credit still called that?
No. It’s now officially the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB), following a permanent 25% increase passed under Bill C-19 in February 2026, delivering up to $679 per year for singles and $890 for couples.
Why did my GIS payment change even though OAS went up?
GIS is recalculated every July using your most recent tax return, which this year shifted from your 2024 return to your 2025 return. If your income changed between those two years, your GIS amount could rise or fall independently of the OAS increase.
Is there a CRA payment boost coming in August for everyone?
Not for every benefit. The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit and the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit are both paid quarterly and have no scheduled August deposit; their next payments land in October 2026.
Do I need to apply to get the higher benefit amounts?
No separate application is needed for existing recipients. The increases are applied automatically, provided you’ve filed your most recent income tax return, which the CRA uses to calculate your updated amount.
Conclusion
The CRA payment boost landing in Canadian accounts this month isn’t a single, simple increase, it’s actually two overlapping adjustments running on different schedules: the broader 2% annual indexation that’s been in effect since July, and OAS’s own separate 1.2% quarterly bump arriving for the first time on August 27. Understanding which increase applies to which benefit, and why your actual deposit might differ from the headline maximum, comes down to your household’s 2025 income and whether you’ve filed your tax return. If you haven’t checked your updated amounts yet, logging into CRA My Account or My Service Canada Account remains the fastest way to see exactly what you’re now entitled to. This article will continue to be reviewed and updated monthly as new indexation figures and payment dates are confirmed.
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