Section 23 — Old Age Security Act: Commencement of allowance

Payment of an allowance to any person under this Part shall commence in the first month after the application therefor has been approved, but where an application is approved after the last day of the month in which it was received, the approval may be effective as of such earlier date, not prior to the day on which the application was received, as may be prescribed by regulation. Where the requirement for an application for payment of an allowance has been waived under this Part, the payment of the allowance shall not commence more than eleven months before the month in which the requirement for an application is waived. Notwithstanding subsection (1), where a person who has applied to receive an allowance attained the age of sixty years before the day on which the application was received, the approval of the application may be effective as of such earlier day, not before the later of a day one year before the day on which the application was received, and the day on which the person attained the age of sixty years, as may be prescribed by regulation. Despite subsections (1) and (1.1), if the application for an allowance by a person described in paragraph 19(6)(f) or 21(9)(d) is approved while that person is incarcerated, payment of their allowance shall commence in respect of the month in which they are released but only if they have notified the Minister in writing before or after their release; and continue to be eligible for an allowance.