This quiz tells you if you need to repay your CERB

Nov 30 2021, 6:02 pm

CERB money was welcomed at the start of the pandemic, but now, it could be causing headaches for those who have to pay it back.

On November 25, 2021, Service Canada announced it would be reaching out to some CERB recipients to let them know they must make a repayment.

The CERB repayments will affect people who got advanced payments and then went back to work before those advanced (or additional) payments were reconciled.

Also, because the government worked to get money to Canadians as quickly as possible, some people may have received it who were ineligible – and the CRA says that it will need to be returned.

There’s an easy way to know if you can expect a call from Service Canada, and there’s even an online quiz that can help.

Check out the Return or repay a payment section of the CERB website. Scroll down until you see this part:

cerb repayment

Government of Canada

This “quiz” works like a customized FAQ page, directing you to take action or consult the agency that you need to get in touch with.

It’s important to remember how you applied for the CERB: through the CRA or Service Canada.

cerb repayment

Government of Canada

Repayments need to be sent back to the agency from which you received the money. So if you applied through the CRA, repayments get sent back to them, not Service Canada.

If you’re still unsure if you need to make a repayment, contact either Service Canada or the CRA, whichever one you applied through.

The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) is over now, and it supported 8 million Canadians who were financially affected by the pandemic, getting payments of $2,000 directly to those who needed it.

Right now, there’s nothing that replaces the program since The Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) just ended on October 23, 2021.

It’s possible that the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) could be extended. There’s also the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit, which could give recipients $300 a week in the works.

There’s still some support available for Canadians, including EI. Learn more about how to make CERB repayments and read the full FAQ to get answers to your biggest CERB questions.

Sarah AndersonSarah Anderson

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