The first of new disability benefit payments are about to arrive for eligible Canadians

Applications for the new Canada Disability Benefit opened in June, and the first round of monthly payments will commence this week.

According to Patty Hajdu, minister of jobs and families and minister responsible for the federal economic development agency for Northern Ontario, the new benefit is designed to provide financial assistance to low-income, working-age Canadians with disabilities. 

Canadians who met the requirements were invited to apply on June 20. June marked the first month of eligibility for the Service Canada-administered benefit program.

The third Thursday of each month will be payment day. Those whose applications were approved by June 30 will see their first payment drop on July 17.

The federal government states that if you qualify, you will begin receiving payments the month following the receipt and approval of your application. If your application is approved in July 2025 or later and you were entitled to payments in earlier months, you will get back payments. However, there will be no payments for months before June 2025.

Canada Disability Benefit eligibility

You must meet several eligibility requirements to apply for the Canada Disability Benefit.

Eligible Canadians would have received letters from the Service Canada inviting them to submit a Canada Disability Benefit application. The letter includes a code with instructions on how to apply. However, if you didn’t get a letter, you can still apply for the benefit.

In addition, you can apply for the Canada Disability Benefit if you have a spouse or common-law partner, and both of you must have filed your 2024 federal income tax return.

You must also be one of the following:

• A Canadian citizen
• A permanent resident
• A temporary resident who has lived in Canada throughout the previous 18 months
• A protected person
• An individual registered or entitled to be registered under the Indian Act

You can also apply if you’re a Canadian resident between the ages of 18 and 64 who has already been approved for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC).

The DTC is a non-refundable tax credit that’s meant to reduce the income tax paid by Canadians with physical or mental impairments, or their supporting family members.

To claim the DTC, you must have a medical practitioner certify the effects of your impairment. You may qualify if you have a marked restriction in at least one category: walking, mental functions, dressing, feeding, eliminating (bowel or bladder functions), hearing, speaking, vision or require life-sustaining therapy.

If your DTC application is approved, you can claim the disability amount on your tax return.

How much will your benefit payment be?

The amount you receive through the Canada Disability Benefit depends on several factors based on your family’s net income.

However, the maximum you could receive in payments from July 2025 to June 2026 is $2,400, or $200 per month. The amount will be adjusted annually for inflation, based on the current cost of living.

The government states that a certain amount of income from employment, self-employment and taxable scholarships is excluded when calculating your benefit amount. This is referred to as the working income exemption.

“If you are single, up to $10,000 of working income will be exempt when calculating your benefit. If you have a spouse or common-law partner, up to $14,000 of combined working income will be exempt,” the benefit page reads. “Earning more than the working income exemption does not necessarily mean that your benefit amount will be reduced.”

Applying for the Canada Disability Benefit

You can submit an application online, in person at a Service Canada office, or by phone. However, Service Canada suggests applying online “for a faster application process.”

The information you need to provide depends on whether you’re applying for yourself or on behalf of someone else, or if you received a letter with an application code from Service Canada.

If you received an invitation letter from Service Canada, you’ll need to provide the following:

• The unique application code, which can be found on the upper right-hand corner of the letter from Service Canada
• Your Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• Your legal status in Canada
• Your direct deposit information, which is the most reliable way to receive payments

However, if you didn’t receive a letter, you’ll need to provide the following:

• Your SIN
• Your mailing address
• Your legal status in Canada
• Your net income (line 23600) from your 2024 notice of assessment (providing this will help speed up your application processing time)
• Your direct deposit information

Leslie Church, parliamentary secretary to the secretaries of state for labour, for seniors, and for children and youth, and to the minister of jobs and families (persons with disabilities), said that the Canada Disability Benefit is an important step toward improving financial security for working-age persons with disabilities.

“Too many Canadians continue to face barriers that limit their full participation in our society and economy,” she said. “This benefit is about dignity, justice and creating a more inclusive Canada — one where everyone has the chance to thrive.”