GST/HST Credit Payment Dates 2026-27: When It Arrives and How Much You Could Get
If you searched for GST/HST credit payment dates, you will find the CRA has changed the label but not the basics. It is still a tax-free quarterly payment for people with low and modest incomes, and it is still worked out from your tax return. This guide covers the dates, who qualifies, how the amount is calculated, how to get it, and what to check when a payment does not show up. It is written for the current benefit year, July 2026 to June 2027.
On this page
Is it still called the GST/HST credit?
No. The CRA's GST/HST credit page is now titled "GST/HST credit - No longer available" and says the credit "has been renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) as of July 2026." The CRA's CGEB page adds that "under its new name, the eligibility, payment calculation, and structure is the same as it was for the GST/HST credit." It also says the benefit amount rose 25% in July 2026 and that the increase lasts five years, from 2026 to 2031.
Two details are useful in practice. First, if you received the GST/HST credit and your situation has not changed, the CRA says you are likely eligible for the CGEB because the criteria are the same. Second, in your CRA account the benefit appears as "Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit)." For a plain-language walk-through of the rename, see our guide to the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit.
Payment dates
The CRA's benefit payment dates page lists the following 2026 dates. Payments are quarterly.
| Payment date | Listed by the CRA as | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| January 5, 2026 | GST/HST credit | 2024 tax return |
| April 2, 2026 | GST/HST credit (the last one under that name) | 2024 tax return |
| July 3, 2026 | Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit) | 2025 tax return |
| October 5, 2026 | Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit) | 2025 tax return |
The CRA also says a one-time top-up payment was issued on June 5, 2026 to people entitled to the credit in January 2026, to provide support before the CGEB started in July. Because the benefit year runs from July to the following June, the "2026-27" payments are the July and October 2026 deposits plus the next two in 2027. For every other benefit on the calendar, see our Canadian benefit payment dates guide.
What about the next payment?
As of October 27, 2026, the CRA payment dates page we checked lists 2026 dates only. The January 2027 date is not posted yet, so we will not guess it. The pattern has been early in the first week of January, April, July and October, but a pattern is not a promise. Your CRA account shows your next expected payment under Benefits and credits, and you can sign up for email reminders that arrive about one week before a payment is issued.
One rule is worth knowing: if your quarterly amount is under $50, the CRA says you receive the full amount as one payment in July rather than four small ones.
Who qualifies
The CRA says you must meet all of these:
- Residency: you are a Canadian resident for tax purposes in the month before a payment and at the start of the month it is paid.
- Age: you are at least 19, or you are under 19 and have or had a spouse or common-law partner, or you are or were a parent living with your child. If you turn 19 during the year and have filed your return, your first payment comes on the next payment date after your birthday.
- Income: your adjusted family net income (AFNI) is below the maximum for your family type and number of children.
For the 2025 base year, which drives the July 2026 to June 2027 payments, the CRA lists these income ceilings:
| Family type | No children | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children | 4+ children |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single or single parent | $60,012 | $68,912 | $73,592 | $78,272 | $82,952 |
| Married or common-law | $64,232 | $68,912 | $73,592 | $78,272 | $82,952 |
Shared custody matters too. The CRA says parents in shared custody may get half the CGEB for that child, and that if a child is under the responsibility of a child welfare agency you generally are not eligible for the benefit for that child.
How much you could get
The CRA lists these maximums for July 2026 to June 2027, based on your 2025 return:
| Who | Maximum per year |
|---|---|
| Single individual | Up to $679 |
| Married or common-law | Up to $890 |
| Each eligible child under 19 | Up to $234 added |
The CRA says the amount depends on three things: your adjusted family net income, your marital status, and the number of children under 19 eligible for the Canada child benefit, the CGEB, or both. AFNI starts with your family net income (line 23600, plus your spouse's or partner's), subtracts any UCCB and RDSP income received (lines 11700 and 12500), and adds back UCCB and RDSP amounts repaid (lines 21300 and 23200). The CRA pages we fetched do not list the reduction rate, so use the CRA's calculator for an exact figure.
Illustrative arithmetic, our own: a couple with two eligible children at the maximums would see $890 + (2 x $234) = $1,358 a year, or $339.50 per quarterly payment. A single person at the maximum would see $679 / 4 = $169.75 per payment, and a couple with no children $890 / 4 = $222.50. Your real amount can be lower, and the CRA's notice shows the exact number. The payments are tax-free, so they do not count as income. If you also receive the child benefit, our Canada Child Benefit amount guide shows how that payment is worked out.
The CRA recalculates the benefit every July using the previous year's return. That means the return you file this spring decides the payments you get from July 2027.
How to get it
You do not fill out a separate application in most cases. The CRA says that you are automatically considered when you file your taxes, and that related provincial or territorial programs may also apply. The CRA's older GST/HST credit page put it plainly: usually you only need to file your annual return. That is true even with little or no income. If you have not filed, start with our guide on filing with a low income, or the first-time walk-through in how to file taxes in Canada.
If you are new to Canada, the CRA's CGEB page refers to a separate section for applying as a new resident, which we could not retrieve, so confirm the steps on canada.ca. Our newcomer first-month money checklist covers the paperwork people tend to forget.
Filing late does not necessarily wipe out what you are owed. The CRA says that if you file a prior-year return late, you may still get a retroactive payment, issued as a separate lump sum or combined with your next quarterly payment.
Why a payment can be late or missing
Before you assume something went wrong, check the date against the table above. If it is past the payment date, the CRA's page on why payments stop lists these reasons:
- You did not file your tax return.
- You did not respond to a CRA letter about your situation.
- You did not report a new address or bank account.
- Your marital status changed.
- Your income was too high at the annual July recalculation.
- You no longer meet the residency criteria.
- You have overpayments or other tax or government debts. The CRA says it "will keep all future benefit payments or tax refunds until the balance is repaid."
Amounts can also change without stopping. The CRA lists a reassessment that changes AFNI, a change in marital status, a change in the number of eligible children, a child turning 19, a change in custody, or a recipient's death. Watch for a notice of redetermination, which shows the revised annual amount. Missed amounts are paid with your next scheduled payment.
If you have checked your account, updated your information and reviewed those reasons, the CRA says to wait 10 business days after the expected payment date before calling. For the October 5, 2026 payment, counting Monday to Friday gives October 19, 2026 (illustrative, and later if a holiday falls in between).
Direct deposit and your account
The CRA's pages we fetched do not describe how to sign up for direct deposit, so we will not walk you through it. What the CRA does say is useful for anyone who has changed banks:
- Keep your old bank account open until your first payment reaches the new one. Deposits can take up to a month to appear.
- If a deposit cannot be made, the CRA mails a cheque.
- Update your address when you move, even if your bank account stays the same.
- Updating your information online in your CRA account is the fastest way to report most changes.
To see your payment details, sign in to your CRA account, choose your Individual account, select Benefits and credits, then Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit). If you are moving accounts, our bank switching checklist includes the government payments people forget to redirect. In Ontario, the provincial trillium payment has its own schedule; see the Ontario trillium benefit payment dates.
The CRA also warns about scams. It only sends email notifications if you have given it your email address, and those emails do not ask for personal information or contain links. If in doubt, check your CRA account directly rather than clicking anything.
Questions people ask
Is the GST/HST credit still paid?
Not under that name. The CRA page says the GST/HST credit has been renamed the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) as of July 2026. The CRA says eligibility, payment calculation and structure are the same as they were for the GST/HST credit.
What are the GST/HST credit payment dates for 2026?
The CRA lists January 5 and April 2, 2026 as GST/HST credit dates, and July 3 and October 5, 2026 as Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit) dates. The CRA had not posted 2027 dates on the pages we checked.
When is the next GST/HST credit payment?
The last date on the CRA payment dates page is October 5, 2026. The next quarterly payment is expected in January, but the CRA had not posted the 2027 date when we checked on October 27, 2026. Check your CRA account for the date it shows.
How much is the GST/HST credit for 2026-27?
For July 2026 to June 2027 the CRA lists up to $679 for a single individual, up to $890 if married or in a common-law partnership, and up to $234 for each eligible child under 19. These are maximums based on your 2025 tax return.
Do I have to apply for the GST/HST credit?
Usually not. The CRA says you are automatically considered when you file your tax return. Newcomers and people turning 19 have extra steps described by the CRA, so check your situation in your CRA account.
Why did my GST/HST credit payment not arrive?
Common reasons listed by the CRA include an unfiled return, an unanswered CRA letter, an unreported new address or bank account, a change in marital status, income too high at the July recalculation, residency changes, or debts owed to the government. Wait 10 business days after the payment date before calling.
Is the GST/HST credit taxable?
No. The CRA describes it as a tax-free payment, so you do not report it as income.
Can I get the GST/HST credit by direct deposit?
Yes, payments go to the bank account the CRA has on file. The CRA says to keep your old account open until your first payment reaches a new one, because deposits can take up to a month to appear. If a deposit cannot be made, the CRA mails a cheque.
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Sources
Canada Revenue Agency, GST/HST credit - No longer available (the rename to the CGEB as of July 2026, same eligibility, automatic consideration on filing, late-return retroactive payments, annual July recalculation, last GST/HST credit payment on April 2, 2026, the June 5, 2026 top-up, viewing payments in your CRA account); Benefit payment dates (January 5 and April 2 for the GST/HST credit, July 3 and October 5 for the CGEB, 10 working day wait); Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (25% increase for five years, last modified June 8, 2026); How much you can get (maximums, AFNI and what triggers recalculation); the CRA CGEB eligibility page (criteria and 2025 income ceilings); the CRA CGEB payment dates page (payment status, the under $50 rule, reminders, 10 business days); and the CRA CGEB page on why payments stop or change (reasons, direct deposit notes). The per-payment examples and the October 19 count are our own arithmetic and are illustrative.